Shadows, Book Four: A Shadowed Heart
by Cherrystripe of ThunderClan
Summary: The forest is in deep trouble. A mysterious famine has been sweeping not only ThunderClan, but the entire forest, threatening to wipe out the Clans' way of life. Also, a deadly fighting force threatens the Clans. Will Runningstar be able to defeat it?
1. Chapter 1

ThunderClan

Leader: Runningstar

_Light brown tom_

_Apprentice, Trailpaw_

_Mate, Cloverleaf_

Deputy: Pineclaw

_Brown tabby tom_

_Mate, Newtfrost_

Medicine Cat: Mossflower

_White she-cat with black splotches_

_Apprentice, Weavepaw_

_Mate, Lightfoot (forbidden)_

Warriors: Duskstorm

_Light brown tom_

Skycloud

_Light gray tom with white splotches_

Chasewind

_Dusky brown tom_

Brindlerose

_Pretty brown tabby she-cat_

Bloodflower

_Dark brown she-cat with cream underbelly_

Flamemoon

_Ginger tabby tom_

Honeystorm

_Honey colored she-cat_

Spottedfoot

_Black tom with interesting tortoiseshell paws_

Longwhisker

_Black and white tom_

Thistletail

_Tortoiseshell she-cat_

Thornclaw

_Bracken-colored tom_

Deerstripe

_Pretty tabby and white she-cat_

_Mate, Mudclaw (shaggy dark brown tom, outcast)_

Autumnpelt

_White she-cat with ginger belly_

Shadownight

_Deep black tom_

Catkinheart

_Beautiful white she-cat with dark gray splotches_

Oakpelt

_Ginger-brown tabby tom_

Starfur

_Black tom_

Owlclaw

_Pale tabby she-cat_

_Mate, Starfur_

Apprentices: Weavepaw

_Ginger she-cat_

_Medicine cat apprentice_

Trailpaw

_Tabby tom_

Queens: Summerheart

_Beautiful yellow tabby she-cat with blue eyes_

_Mate, Skycloud_

_Kits: Sunkit, Pondkit, Nightkit, and Featherkit_

Newtfrost

_Tortoiseshell she-cat_

_Mate, Pineclaw_

_Kits: Rosekit, Budkit, Rockkit, Tansykit, and Lavenderkit_

Cloverleaf

_Brown tabby she-cat_

_Mate, Runningstar_

_Nursing: Rainkit and Frenzykit_

Elders: Moonpad

_Beautiful blue-gray she-cat with distinctive white nose and paw pads_

Spiritwing

_Gray tabby tom_

Stripewhisker

_Once beautiful brown tabby she-cat_

Kits (In order of age):

Frenzykit

_Pretty calico she-cat with minty green eyes_

Featherkit

_Misty colored blue-gray she-cat, deep green eyes_

Nightkit

_Black tom with smoky gray paws, dark blue eyes_

Rainkit

_Gray she-cat with black paws, ear tips, and tail tip. Has one turquoise eye and one light blue eye_

Tansykit

_White she-cat with black splotches, turquoise eyes_

Lavenderkit

_White she-cat with black splotches, light purple eyes, Tansykit's twin sister_

Budkit

_Light gray she-cat with dark speckles on face and legs, light yellow eyes_

Rosekit

_White she-cat, stunning light blue eyes_

Rockkit

_Brown tabby tom, dark amber eyes_

Cats in other Clans: Hurricanestar

_Dark gray tom_

_Clan: ShadowClan_

Lightfoot

_Dark tabby tom_

_Mate, Mossflower (forbidden)_

_Clan: RiverClan_

**As you can see, I've added a new section: kits! Isn't it cool? I guess I went a little weird with eye colors, but hey, this is a fantasy story! Let's all imagine what purple eyes on a cat would look like! :3 I hope you enjoy this story!**

**Hoorah! it's book 4! This takes place about two moons after book 3 ended, so HUGE time gap. Don't be surprised if some things have changed a little!**

Darkness covered the land. Nothing was awake at this time. Everything, even the masked raccoons, were curled up in their nests, sleeping the dark night away.

But not everything was asleep…

A dark gray tom came into view, a smirk hardened on his face. Facing the dark gray cat was a light brown tom. The brown tom shivered, trying to face the cat with as much courage as he could muster.

"It's all over for you, Runningstar!" Spat the gray tom. "Your Clan has fallen all around you, and the remaining living ones are prisoners. Surrender to me, or I kill your little mate here."

Blue eyes flew open. The dark gray tom was pressing a small-framed tabby to the ground with his paw.

"Don't worry, if you do surrender I'll let her go and she'll be forced to be my mate," The gray tom growled. "Think about it."

"I'd rather die than be your mate," Rasped the she-cat.

"Shut up!" Bellowed the gray tom. "Make your decision, Runningstar! Your stupid old leader couldn't, and look what happened to her!"

Three warriors came up behind the gray tom and chanted, "Decide, decide, decide, decide," while four more warriors surrounded the light brown tom, growling, glaring and unsheathing their claws.

"Decide, decide, decide," Came the chants of the warriors. The four closer warriors all leaped at the light brown tom simultaneously, claws outstretched.

Blood flooded the brown tom's vision, oozing down his eyes and making it impossible to see anything but red. Cries of the she-cat flew through his head.

R.U.N.N.I.N.G

Runningstar awoke, screaming. He searched around wildly for any sign of reality.

A fluffy bed of moss was beneath him. It made the light brown tom relax a little more to see his den right there in front of him.

It had been moons since the battle with ShadowClan when Ashstar, the former ThunderClan leader, had died, and Runningstar had to replace her. He still remembered the look frozen onto the leader's face- one of dedication to her Clan.

Runningstar tried to get up from the bedding, but realized that his claws had been unsheathed to their fullest length and had gotten stuck in the moss. He took the green stuff between his teeth and pulled it off of his claws with much effort.

Feeling himself ache, Runningstar licked his ruffled fur down. What a nightmare! Hurricanestar was the one that was terrorizing Runningstar, but who were the other warriors?

Suddenly, Runningstar remembered that in the dream Hurricanestar had kidnapped Cloverleaf. He trotted to the warriors den immediately.

The air felt crisp, but not cold. The sun had not come out yet, so the sky was pitch black and strewn with stars. Runningshadow took in the mid-newleaf air in a huge breath, and breathed it back out slowly through his nose. Everything was back to normal.

He poked his nose into the warriors den, instantly scenting his mate Cloverleaf. But it was stale. Why in the name of StarClan was it stale? Was she really kidnapped?

Runningstar suddenly remembered that, to his delight, Cloverleaf was pregnant with his kits. The next place he looked was the nursery, and he saw that his mate was right there, sleeping between Summerheart and Newtfrost.

Newtfrost had five kits beside her; three of hers, Rosekit, Rockkit and Budkit, and two of the fallen queen Ratfur's; Tansykit and Lavenderkit. Summerheart had six: two of hers, Brightkit and Cloudkit, and four of Ratfur's; Rainkit, Nightkit, Frenzykit, and Featherkit.

The two of Ratfur's that Newtfrost had actually weren't Ratfur's. They were the medicine cat's, Mossflower's, from when she had a forbidden love with the RiverClan warrior Lightfoot. But, since it was against the warrior code for medicine cat's to have kits, Mossflower gave hers away to Ratfur without the queen knowing.

A few moon's back, in the battle with ShadowClan, Ratfur had gotten killed by nursery raiders, which left her four kits in charge of Summerheart and the other two with Newtfrost. Runningstar was glad that they had split the kits up.

He snuck in and gave Cloverleaf a tender lick, then quietly went back to his den.

By now, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, giving the sky pink, orange and red hues. Runningstar took some time to look over the beautiful colors that seemed to spring from over the trees. Slowly, the stars faded and left the sky with sunshine.

The cats of ThunderClan started to come out of their dens, marveling at the sunrise. The three new warriors, Starfur, Oakpelt and Owlclaw, were the first up, and had come back in from their overnight vigil.

Runningshadow had made the three apprentices warriors just the night before. For some reason, thoughts of Hurricanestar had snuck into his head and he had gone to sleep with a head spinning full of worry.

When most of the warriors and apprentices were out, Runningstar assigned the patrols. "Dawn patrol shall be Shadownight, Spottedfoot, Thistletail, Catkinheart, and a leader…perhaps Longwhisker."

As the five warriors made their way out, Runningstar assigned a hunting patrol (Honeystorm, Bloodflower, Owlclaw, and Pineclaw) and went back to his den, sleepy from little rest. He felt like assigning another repairing patrol, but the thorn border of the ThunderClan camp was fully repaired and he held his tongue.

Runningstar felt like sleeping but knew that he had to get ready to assemble a list of cats to bring to the Gathering. Was a leader's work ever done?

He wearily put it off and curled up into a ball. The light brown tom felt almost reluctant to close his eyes for fear of another nightmare but soon his eyelids got heavier and heavier and soon he was fast asleep.

R.U.N.N.I.N.G

While Shadownight had been on patrol, the group had split up and he had gone alone to the apple blossom trees. He was sniffing around for any enemy Clan scent in the bushes, and soon had found something simply revolting.

He wrinkled his nose and decided to explore the stench further. He stuck his entire head in the bush and, to his horror, found a dead rat there, stinking horribly with white maggots all over it, already beginning to feed.

Shadownight felt like retching. He had to alert someone else on the dawn patrol about this.

He remembered that Catkinheart had been assigned to Snakerocks, which was closest to where he was, so the black tom went racing for the hollow of huge, snake-infested rocks.

Catkinheart was indeed right there, sniffing carefully along some heavy weeds underneath a boulder.

"Catkinheart!" Huffed Shadownight. "Come here…I need to show you something…"

She nodded and padded quickly behind Shadownight. "What could it possibly be that made you come all the way here?" She asked with much concern.

Suddenly, Shadownight remembered that the closest cat was in fact Longwhisker, who was the leader of the group and best to contact. Well, Shadownight had a huge crush on Catkinheart, and really hoped she liked him back. What a stupid cat he was!

His mind blank, he hadn't replied in a while, and Catkinheart looked into his eyes. "Shadownight, are you…"

"Fine," Croaked Shadownight. Suddenly he didn't feel so good. His legs crumpled under him.

"Shadownight?" Mewed Catkinheart. "Shadownight? SHADOWNIGHT!" She cried.

The black tom still wasn't moving.

**What's gonna happen to Shadownight? Review and get a Shadownight plushie!**


	2. Chapter 2

Runningstar was checking on Cloverleaf again when he heard a scream coming from the gorse tunnel. He said a quick goodbye and rushed out of the nursery.

Catkinheart was there, dragging a black tom through the tunnel. She looked exhausted, and finally collapsed.

"Catkinheart!" Cried Runningstar, bounding toward the she-cat. He tried to pick her up, but she pushed away. "No," She gasped. "I'm fine…Just please help me get Shadownight to the medicine cats den."

Runningshadow slung one of the tom's paws over his shoulder while Catkinheart put the other around hers. "What happened?" Asked Runningstar.

"I don't know…but Shadownight just came running for me to tell me something important…but then he must have been really tired or something because all of a sudden he just fainted…" Catkinheart started to cry.

"Don't worry, Shadownight will be fine," Runningstar mewed, giving Catkinheart a lick. "Mossflower will take good care of him."

Catkinheart didn't say anything more until they got to Mossflower's den.

The black and white she-cat was just arranging some herbs on her shelves and holding each one out to quiz Weavepaw, and she saw the three cats making their way toward her den.

"Runningstar, what are you- Shadownight, are you okay?"

Catkinheart explained everything to the black and white she-cat.

"Oh my, here, put him in that corner over there. There's plenty of nice moss there, and since the cottonwoods are in season it'll be even softer…that's it, it's okay…Good job."

Catkinheart wiped her tears away with the back of her paw. "Is he going to be okay, Mossflower?" She sniffled.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he's just fine, especially when I have Weavepaw to help," Mossflower purred. "Come on, Weavepaw, let's look over poor Shadownight here…"

"Mind if I watch you?" Asked Runningstar. He wanted to see how Weavepaw was keeping up.

"Don't you have your own apprentice to train?" Mossflower growled. "Trailpaw's been waiting all morning to train with you! Now shoo- Catkinheart did, now you should."

Runningstar backed out of the den guiltily and tried to scent out Trailpaw. He hoped he hadn't sent him on a patrol.

Fortunately, it turned out he hadn't. Trailpaw was sitting down on a tree stump outside the apprentice's den, alone. He was sunning himself, but looked very bored.

"Trailpaw!" Called Runningstar. "Trailpaw, come here!"

The tabby tom looked up happily, his amber eyes glittering. "Are we gonna train?" He asked happily.

"Yes," Runningstar mewed. "I think it's time we trained some more."

"Great!" Trailpaw exclaimed, jumping to his paws. "So what will we do today? Fighting practice? Hunting practice? Just practice? What?"

"Shh, calm down," Runningstar growled. "We can do fighting practice if you want. You haven't practiced fighting yet."

"Yes!" Yowled Trailpaw. "I can't wait! Learning how to fight will be so much fun!"

"Don't get too excited," Runningstar growled. "It will spoil your session. Come on, let's go."

Trailpaw was prancing excitedly behind Runningstar as they went out of the camp.

"Do you smell that?" Asked Runningstar.

Trailpaw lifted his nose high in the air and sniffed noisily. "Um…vole, I think," He mewed. "And some fox, but it's stale. It must have just been passing by."

Runningstar lifted his nose and sniffed too. "Yes, great job," He praised. "Do you think that you can get the vole?"

"Aw, I want to fight!" Trailpaw groaned, putting his front paws in front of him and lifting his rump high in the air.

"Shh, you'll scare all the prey away from here to Fourtrees if you keep yelling like that. Fine, I'll go get it. You go to the Sandy Hollow."

"No no, I'll go get it," Whispered Trailpaw. He got into the hunting crouch with his body low to the ground and his hind legs high in the air.

"Trailpaw, that's how to hunt a bird!" Hissed Runningstar quietly. Trailpaw got distracted really easily, which was a downside for an apprentice.

The tabby tom shot up into the air and blushed, embarrassed. "Oh, yeah…sorry…"

"That's fine, but we should probably just go train now. The voles are gone now, you scared them away."

Trailpaw hung his head and followed after his mentor glumly. He didn't even say anything else the entire way there, except when he stopped by a bush near the Owl Tree. He stuck his nose into it and sniffed.

Suddenly, he wrinkled his nose and jumped back. "Ew!" He hissed. "What is that horrible smell?"

Runningstar opened his mouth to smell. He froze. He had smelled that before…but it seemed like so long ago that Runningstar didn't remember what it was.

Soon, Trailpaw gave in and rummaged around the bush. "Trailpaw, what are you doing?" Exclaimed Runningstar. "That could be dan…" His voice trailed off as he saw what Trailpaw had dragged out of the bush.

Runningstar felt sick. It was what he had seen not too long ago…when he was coming back from the moonstone where he had gotten his nine lives. He had seen a rat similar to the one that Trailpaw was holding between his teeth, right inside WindClan territory. What were all these rotten rats doing in the forest?

"Trailpaw, put that down this instant!" Runningstar snapped. "It could be infected! You'd get sick!"

At the words "you'd get sick" Trailpaw squeaked with fear and dropped the rat to the ground.

"I wonder what a rat is doing here on ThunderClan territory?" Runningstar pondered. "They don't live here."

Trailpaw shrugged. "I dunno. Can we go training now and forget about it? It's probably some old carrion that got carried in by a badger or a fox."

"Good observation," Runningstar purred to his apprentice. "And yes, we should probably just hide this away again and go to the Sandy Hollow quickly." Runningstar gestured to Trailpaw for him to follow him.

The tabby tom reluctantly followed, still keeping a careful eye on the rat.

When they got to the sandy training clearing, Runningstar poised himself in front of his apprentice. "Okay. Today we're just going to learn simple attacks. Attack me," He mewed, getting into a defensive stance.

Trailpaw smiled to himself and got into a crouch. He rushed for the light brown tom, unsheathing his claws, and leaping with outstretched paws.

Runningstar slipped to the side and tripped Trailpaw with his back leg. "You'll have to be a little more strategic," Runningstar explained. "Try again, and this time try to attack me when I least expect it."

Trailpaw nodded, his amber eyes glittering with determination. He started to break into a run, his claws far out in front of him, and he went straight for Runningstar again.

Runningstar reached out and tangled his paws in with Trailpaw's, then flipping him on the ground.

Trailpaw got up slowly, spitting sand out. His wet nose was covered with sand.

"Okay, try not to attack me with your paws out in front of you," Runningstar mewed. "It will tell your enemy that you are going to attack them."

"Ok," Trailpaw mewed, eyes shining with tears of frustration. He backed away and got into a crouch. He slowly and quietly unsheathed his claws into the sand.

Runningstar watched his apprentice carefully. If he was going to get angry this easily, he wouldn't be a good warrior in the long run. They had to work to get rid of that habit.

Trailpaw started running toward Runningstar and jumped to one side of him, then as Runningstar took a swipe for him Trailpaw whipped around to the other side, out of Runningstar's reach, and ran his paws down his mentor's other flank.

"That's much better!" Cried Runningstar. "Great job! That's the kind of fighting I'm looking for here."

Tears spilled out of Trailpaw. "I did it," He huffed.

"Are you okay, Trailpaw?" Asked Runningstar.

Trailpaw nodded. He was just fine, but the only reason he was crying was because he had shut his eyes so tight that the tears of frustration had billowed out of his eyes.

"Now that you've picked up simple fighting, it's time that you learned more technical moves, like how to kick cats off of you and how to partner fight," Runningstar explained to his apprentice.

Trailpaw was only half-listening. Because to him, this part of his training was a huge breakthrough in his life.

**Yeah, it was a horrible way to end the chapter, but...anyway, review! I can give you a little rotten rat plushie!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope you like this chapter! Sorry I haven't been able to update quite as fast, but I've been working on so many other stories I can't stand it! :p**

As Runningstar and Trailpaw arrived back from their training, the first cat they saw was Mossflower. She had a very worried look on her face.

"Runningstar, I think you should look at something," Mossflower mewed nervously.

Trailpaw looked up at Runningstar quizzically, and the light brown tom flicked his tail for him to leave. "What's wrong?" He asked as his apprentice scampered off.

Mossflower heaved a sigh. "It's Shadownight. I don't think he's doing very well."

Runningstar felt a wave of concern rise up and he followed after the medicine cat to her den.

Once they were there, Weavepaw was pacing nervously outside the den. "Oh, Mossflower…" She murmured, digging her head into her mentor's fur. "Is he going to be okay?"

"We're going to try," Mossflower said gently, running her tail across her shoulders. "I'm going to show Runningstar."

Weavepaw looked a little more relieved and relaxed her grip on Mossflower.

As the black and white she-cat led Runningstar into the den, the first thing the leader smelled was a reek of sickness. "Oh my," He said in alarm. "That's a really strong scent…"

Mossflower nodded nervously. "Yes, this is a sickness I've never seen before, and I fear we won't be able to treat poor Shadownight."

Runningstar felt a twist in his stomach. The poor warrior was very brave to pull through this sickness.

What really alarmed the leader was that the black tom was already nested in the "special needs" den. It was the den where the _really_ sick or injured warriors went. Runningstar remembered when he had to come here when he was recovering from his mentor, Cinderhope's, death.

Even more horrific was how Shadownight looked. His eyes were leaking with fluids, some already crusted from his eyes to the tip of his muzzle, as if he had been crying. His sleek black fur was now dull and matted, and blood was pouring out of his open jaws from coughing violently.

"Oh…oh no," Whispered Runningstar. "StarClan help the poor thing. Have you been able to find a cure for it yet?"

Mossflower shook her head. "I'm sorry to say no. Since I can't identify this sickness, I can't find the cure. I've tried everything for the symptoms, but nothing's working. Oh StarClan, will he ever be cured?"

Runningstar shook his head, not in reply to the medicine cat but in disappointment. Shadownight was a very strong, kind, handsome and ambitious warrior. It broke his heart to hear that he might not live through this sickness.

"And the worst thing is that I don't even know if it's contagious or not," Mossflower sighed. "So who knows if cats should visit him or not?"

Runningstar gulped hard. "StarClan help Shadownight. I'm so sorry, Mossflower. But I'm sure that you'll be able to find a cure somehow." He gave her a lick on the ear.

Mossflower purred back, but still didn't look cheered up any. "Let's pray that he will get better."

Runningstar agreed, sending up a prayer to StarClan to save the poor warrior.

"So are you going to let the other cats visit him?" Asked Runningstar.

"I guess that since you aren't affected by the sickness in any way, perhaps it would be safe," Mossflower mewed indecisively. She shrugged her shoulders and let out a long groan. "I'll let cats come see him, and if another gets sick then I won't let them anymore. It's risky but the only move."

Runningstar sighed. "I'm confident you'll find a cure for this," He meowed brightly. "You're such a great medicine cat. I can't imagine you failing anything."

Mossflower smiled weakly. "I'm sure I'll pull through," She mewed.

Shadownight let out a long, painful groan but didn't move.

Runningstar felt pain mangle his heart. The poor cat must have been going through torture right now through this sickness. He sent up another silent prayer for StarClan to help him.

Suddenly, two cats came crashing through the medicine cat's den. "Where is he?" Growled a low voice.

Runningstar recognized that Thistletail and Spottedfoot were the ones.

"Shadownight's in there, if that's who you're looking for," Mossflower mewed, pointing with the tip of her paw.

Thistletail had a deeply worried look on her face. "Good. I hope that he's okay," She mewed.

Catkinheart must have told them what had happened before she left the patrol so she had an excuse to leave. Apparently Pineclaw had assigned Longwhisker on another patrol.

The tortoiseshell she-cat was already sticking her head into the special needs den, cooing to Shadownight quietly. "He looks horrible," She whispered miserably. "I dearly hope that he's okay…"

Spottedfoot shoved Thistletail out of the way. "Leave some room for me," He growled as he heaved his black flanks.

"Don't be so rude! There's plenty of room," Thistletail grumbled. They both laid down beside the black tom and started licking him for reassurance.

Runningstar looked on sadly, but felt that he needed to assign Sunhigh patrol before it was too late. "Goodbye, Mossflower," He mewed. "I have to go assign the patrol."

Mossflower nodded to him. "Go do your leader stuff. I'll just be here, so don't look anywhere else," she assured him.

As Runningstar headed for his den, he tried to stop himself from worrying over Shadownight. He was a tough cat and would pull through. And Mossflower would find a cure to this sickness. She was a miracle worker! She could do anything any medicine cat could and more.

Runningstar called out who would go on the Sunhigh patrol and sat down at the top of the Highrock. Tiny blossoms fell from the trees above, floating down to earth like little stars. Runningstar sneezed as one covered his nose.

As he sat looking up at the sky, Runningstar decided to start thinking of who to take to the Gathering tonight. Trailpaw definitely deserved to go, and Mossflower would definitely take Weavepaw with her. Perhaps Catkinheart since she had saved Shadownight, and Chasewind too.

Finally after much deciding, the cats to go would be Bloodflower, Chasewind, Longwhisker, Deerstripe, Starfur, Owlclaw, Trailpaw, Stripewhisker, and Pineclaw.

Thinking of the few apprentices, Runningstar remembered that Ratfur's kits would be six moons old by Greenleaf. He decided to make a couple of the kits apprentices, perhaps Nightkit and Featherkit since they were the strongest and bravest. But why not make all of them apprentices at the same time?

Runningstar sighed and sagged even lower on the Highrock. His dumb ideas were like chain reactions- one thought led to another, and another, and other. First the Gathering, which led to Ratfur's kits, leading to making them apprentices, leading to who to make their mentors.

Who would be the best cats? Chasewind was very excited for an apprentice and was very deserving of one. He would be a great mentor. Perhaps Flamemoon was ready for one? He deserved one since he was recovering from Mangoheart's death, even if it was a moon and a half ago. Honeystorm had been a breeding mother until a few seasons ago. She deserved it. And…perhaps Starfur was ready? He was one of the best hunters and fighters in the Clan, and his recent warrior naming would…never mind. Perhaps Pineclaw was a better choice. He was more experienced, and he also was the deputy for the time being.

Runningstar had nothing else to do, so he decided to go hunt and investigate the rats while he was at it.

He squeezed himself outside the gorse tunnel. He wished that he could ask Cloverleaf to come with him, but she was too heavily pregnant with his kits.

Where had that first rat been? The rat he had seen with Trailpaw? Perhaps he shouldn't check these rats out…they might carry some disease.

Runningstar checked through the bushes where Trailpaw had first found one. It was just like the one he had seen in WindClan's territory- gross, rotting and covered with maggots. What in the name of StarClan were these rats even doing in ThunderClan territory? And why had they been sighted in WindClan territory, too?

Another rat could be anywhere around here. Runningstar shivered and decided not to take the risk of getting sick with the deathly illness that the ShadowClan cats had had before.

Suddenly, the smell of vole went right past his nose. Runningstar hunched into a crouch and followed quietly after the vole, carefully edging around the old, crackly leaves from last leaf-fall that carpeted the forest floor.

He flew through the air and landed on top of the vole, biting into it as hard as he could with anger from Shadownight's sickness.

This was turning out to be some kind of mystery. A puzzle. Shadownight got sick with some kind of unknown disease that even Mossflower didn't know about, but it _was_ deadly and Shadownight could die with it.

Also, these gross rotten rats had started to appear around ThunderClan territory. How had they gotten there, and why were they here of all places? How could they have just come in from ShadowClan territory, drop themselves under the Great Sycamore, and then left themselves to die and rot away?

This mystery was just getting more and more bizarre.

Runningstar decided to forget it. He unearthed some leaves and hid his vole under them. Shadownight would get better, and these rats wouldn't prove to be any kind of danger towards ThunderClan.

Runningstar noticed the sun setting low in the sky and decided to hunt down a group of baby sparrows that were stretching out their wings before he left to get the Gathering group together.

The light brown tom had only killed a couple before the rest of the little birds flew off in fear. He took up the vole along with two sparrows and disappeared through the thick undergrowth, back to his camp to sort tonight's Gathering out.

**What a mystery! What do you think of Book Four so far? Do u like it? Review and get...er, a plushie of your choice! Sorry, I'm running out of ideas!**


	4. Chapter 4

Runningstar gingerly set his caught prey down and was just about to pick up a chaffinch before Weavepaw came racing towards him. There was a look of worry etched across her face.

"Runningstar, Runningstar, please come here!" She yowled at the top of her lungs.

"What's wrong?" Asked Runningstar. "Did Mossflower tell you to come get me?"

"No, she was too busy, but I knew I just had to come and get you!" She wailed.

Runningstar said nothing more and hurried for the medicine cat's den. He knew it had something to do with Shadownight.

He stuck his head through the gap in the rocks and waited for Weavepaw to come catch up to him. She hurried to the back room, where Shadownight was, and gestured for him to follow her.

Runningstar sat down beside the medicine cat apprentice to see, to his horror, that Shadownight was not the only one to be laying on the ground, sickly, but so were two other cats: Spottedfoot and Thistletail. They both had the discharge coming out of their eyes and noses, and Thistletail, with her dull pelt pressed to Shadownight's, paused to hack up some more blood.

Runningstar cringed away from the three sick cats. This was turning into a problem. A huge problem. Apparently, this sickness was extremely contagious, and now Thistletail and Spottedfoot, who had come in as Shadownight's visitors, were going out as horribly sick cats.

Mossflower came up behind them. "Good, Weavepaw, you fetched Runningstar for me," She mewed wearily. "I see that you've found out how horrible this disease is. Now three cats have it, just from laying down next to Shadownight!" She shook her head. "I feel so horrible about this…"

Weavepaw ran her tail along her mentor's shoulders. "Everything will be okay," She whispered softly. "We'll find a way to fix this."

Mossflower gave Weavepaw a weak smile.

"Have you tried everything possible?" Asked Runningstar.

Mossflower sighed. "I can't. If I go in there, I am taking the risk of getting the disease myself."

Runningstar finally realized that Mossflower was right. If this disease was as contagious as Mossflower thought it was, then it was wise to not get close to them.

"I guess there's nothing else to do other than let them die…" Mossflower mewed. Tears started watering up in her eyes. "I hate to see such good warriors go, but if they spend the rest of their lives in the back den…perhaps then the sickness won't spread anywhere."

Runningstar nodded and nuzzled the medicine cat. "See? Everything will be okay."

Mossflower pulled away uncomfortably. "No, it won't be okay. I'm letting three great cats lay in that tiny den until they die. I'm the worst medicine cat ever."

"No you are NOT!" Hissed Weavepaw. "Don't you understand? I believe in you! I've admired you since I was old enough to walk! Can't you see that?" She snapped. "You aren't a bad medicine cat! You aren't!"

Mossflower sighed. "I'm sorry, Weavepaw. I'm probably not the best mentor for you. You should be apprenticed to a warrior instead."

Weavepaw shook her head, her blue eyes blazing. "No," she mewed coldly. "You're doing fine. Letting these cats die is probably the only choice we have."

Mossflower smiled down at her apprentice. "I knew you'd make a great apprentice to me," She purred. "I remember just when I was coming down to help Ratfur give birth to her kits. You got so excited watching me giving her those poppy seeds."

Weavepaw smiled up at her mentor. "Thanks, Mossflower."

Runningstar decided to go away, giving the medicine cat some time of her own, and noticed that the sun was slowly starting to slip into the sky.

He raced for the Highrock and jumped to the top, his mind whirring with the rats, the sickness, and the cats he would invite to go to the Gathering.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" He yowled.

Soon enough, cats were looking up from sharing tongues and eating prey. Trailpaw seemed to be the first one under the Highrock. He looked up at his mentor with great admiration.

"It is almost dark," Runningstar called out, "And it is almost time for us to leave for the Gathering. The cats that are going will be Chasewind, Deerstripe, Trailpaw, Pineclaw, Longwhisker, Starfur, Bloodflower, Owlclaw, Oakpelt, and Stripewhisker."

"I cannot go," A voice piped up from the crowd.

Runningstar scanned the group of cats to see who had spoken, and saw that it was Deerstripe that had just said she couldn't go. That was surprising, since she was always keen on going to Gatherings.

"Why don't you want to go, Deerstripe?" Asked Runningstar curiously.

Deerstripe flattened her ears and kneaded her paws. "Well, it's not that I don't want to go, it's that I can't go. I'm-" She swallowed hard. "Please forgive me, Runningstar, I'm pregnant."

Runningstar was surprised. Deerstripe was pregnant at such a young age? Who was the father? And why had she said, "Please forgive me"?

Apparently, many of the Clan were taking wild guesses. "That traitor!" Spat Flamemoon. "She's bearing Mudpelt's kits!"

Many hisses rose up from the audience, snarling and spitting and directing their glares straight at the young tabby and white she-cat.

"Stop at once!" Yowled Runningstar. "How do you know that Deerstripe is having Mudpelt's kits? They could be…Oakpelt's, for all I care!"

Oakpelt spat with surprise and rage.

"We aren't just guessing, Runningstar," Spat Autumnpelt. "We know that Mudpelt and Deerstripe were mates before Mudpelt killed Ashstar!"

Moonpad shook her head. "Who knows how evil these kits will grow up to be?"

"Moonpad is right! How do we know that these cats won't grow up to have Mudpelt's ambition and willingness to kill cats to get what they want?" Yelled Chasewind above the crowd.

"Deerstripe should not be blamed for having kits," Growled Skycloud. "A cat should be able to have a mate in their own Clan." He must have been remembering how his mate, Summerheart, had once been in his own Clan, but he had mated with her while he was in ShadowClan.

"But not a cat in their own Clan that was evil!" Spat Oakpelt.

"Be quiet!" Howled Runningstar. "We will not blame Deerstripe for having kits. She probably mated with Mudpelt before she knew he was a bad cat."

"That's a bad excuse!" Hissed Oakpelt. He seemed to really dislike Deerstripe ever since she was made a warrior before him. "Mudpelt was bad before Deerstripe was even made an apprentice! Remember, he killed a RiverClan cat!"

Runningstar sighed. How had Oakpelt found that out? Perhaps gossip was spreading around the warriors faster than he thought…

"Silence!" Runningstar caterwauled over the other cats. "Deerstripe has done nothing wrong. She is pregnant with Mudpelt's kits, end of story. Now, we should for the Gathering before it is sunrise!" He got up and jumped down from the Highrock with stressed thoughts running through his head. He worried for Deerstripe very much.

The cats that he had assigned to go to the Gathering sheepishly followed their leader. Trailpaw and Pineclaw came up and stepped briskly right next to their leader, trying to comfort him as they matched him step for step.

Pineclaw sighed. "This Clan is getting way too much out of hand," He mewed sadly.

Runningstar grunted with agreement and said nothing the rest of the way there. The only speaking was of two warriors sharing gossip about Deerstripe.

Finally, the Clan arrived at the top of the clearing. Runningstar hesitated before leading his Clan down to Fourtrees, down to where three other Clans were waiting for them to join them and start the Gathering.

He turned to his cats. "There will be no talk of Deerstripe to anybody," He growled coldly.

One of the warriors that had been gossiping coughed nervously and turned to another cat.

Runningstar, with his heart dragging by his paws, plunged into the clearing of four oaks and led his Clan to the Gathering.


	5. Chapter 5

As Runningstar headed down the ravine, the first smell that hit his nose was ShadowClan. The entire clearing was stinking of the enemy Clan. Had they already made up for all the cats they lost to the disease?

Apparently Pineclaw had noticed, too. "I see that ShadowClan is making a quick recovery from the rat disease," He commented sharply.

Runningstar said nothing, but nodded.

"I guess that the medicine cat could finally cure this one?" Chasewind mewed suspiciously.

Suddenly, a spark came up into his mind. A disease that couldn't be cured? Hadn't this been the one in ThunderClan as well as ShadowClan?

Before he could ponder it any further, there was a yowl at the top of the Highrock. He leaped for the rock in the center of the clearing, and scrambled up it feeling hot with embarrassment.

"RiverClan would like to go first," Their leader, Otterstar, mewed. She stepped up to the tip of the Highrock. "We are doing quite well. A litter of kits was just born yesterday, and we have another pregnant queen to join our nursery. The river has been plentiful with fish, as well as the forest. StarClan has granted us a beautiful greenleaf where none of our cats will go hungry."

She stepped back and let WindClan go. This time it wasn't the usual pretty golden she-cat named Lionstar. A gruff, light tabby tom had taken her place upon the Highrock. He cleared his throat and started to speak.

"As you have noticed, Lionstar isn't here today. My name is Gorsestar, and I will explain her absence to you. She had lost her last life a quarter moon ago. I still miss her, and I'm sure that WindClan and even the other Clans shall miss her dearly."

Runningstar dipped his head in memory of the fiery golden brown she-cat that used to be leader of WindClan.

"Would ThunderClan like to go next?" Hurricanestar, a dark gray tom and the leader of ShadowClan, asked in a sneer. He was practically egging Runningstar on to confess to the whole forest that his Clan was weak from sickness.

Runningstar gulped and stepped forward. What would he say about the disease? He decided keep it to himself, since the other Clans didn't need to know about an enemy Clan's weakness.

"We have many kits in the nursery," Runningstar mewed. "And two more pregnant queens. And we also have three new warriors: Oakpelt, Starfur and Owlclaw. Congratulations to the two new warriors!"

"Owlclaw! Oakpelt! Owlclaw! Oakpelt!" Chanted the other cats.

Runningstar remembered when he had met Owlclaw when he was just an apprentice and when she was just a kittypet named Molly. They had gotten into a scrap, and when Runningpaw had told her about the Clans, then she wanted to come with him back to his home in ThunderClan.

After some convincing, Ashstar finally took Runningpaw to pick up Molly, but on the way they had met a ShadowClan patrol that had captured Ashstar. That was when Runningstar first met Hurricanestar, or Hurricanesong back then.

When they had gotten to find Molly, she had taken her brother with her to come to the forest, Brian, who turned into Oakpelt. That seemed so long ago…Runningstar remembered all the cats that had been living back then. Cinderhope, Cinnamonpaw, Phantomheart, Ratfur, Stormfeather, Featherstream, Mangoheart, Peachrain, Strikefoot, Desertstorm, Showertail…all of these cats were so long gone that Runningstar had almost forgotten about them.

"This Gathering is now ended. Let all the Clans go in peace," Otterstar yowled.

Runningstar shifted awake from his thoughts. Had he been reminiscing so much that he missed what ShadowClan had said? He kneaded his paws with guilt and stepped down from the Highrock calmly.

Longwhisker came up to him. "Did you hear what Hurricanestar said? ShadowClan's little rat disease is gone! Now ShadowClan is full of cats again!"

Runningstar stiffened. Suddenly, the pieces were all coming together: Rat disease, incurable, a Clan wiping out…somehow ShadowClan had spread their disease to ThunderClan. And they must have done this to WindClan, too! It wasn't too long ago that Lionstar was complaining about a sickness that wouldn't go away. All that was left to explain was the rats.

But that was just as easy. Suddenly, Runningstar went back to the day he was getting back from the Moonstone when he had gotten his nine lives. Just inside the WindClan border, Mossflower had found a rotting, maggot-infested rat.

_The ShadowClan cats had taken their rats and put them inside ThunderClan territory so they would get the disease._


	6. Chapter 6

Ppg10000Runningstar was awakened by drops coming in from the roof of his den. He looked up to see that it was a typical greenleaf morning: rain until sunhigh. He got up, shook the scraps of moss off his coat, and stretched. He trotted out of his den to see if Trailpaw was awake yet.

The Clan was alive with action. Trailpaw had just come back from dawn patrol with Chasewind and Pineclaw, and they all were carrying loads of prey. Summerheart was playing with her young kits, while Cloverleaf helped the older kits and taught them early hunting moves.

Runningstar noticed that Ratfur's kits were getting much older. They were the eldest kits in the nursery now. It was time that they were made apprentices.

Who would be the mentors? Runningstar figured that Chasewind was ready for his first apprentice, and so was Skycloud, who hadn't gotten an apprentice yet in his life. Thinking over the mentors was difficult, but Runningstar finally decided who would mentor whom.

He leaped up to the top of the Highrock, but realized that he would first go to the nursery and tell all the queens that Ratfur's kits were going to be apprentices.

The light brown tom squeezed into the nursery, thankful for shelter from the rain and that the kits were still half-asleep. Cloverleaf stretched her head to give Runningstar a greeting lick. He nuzzled her back and sat down in the middle of the nursery. All eyes were on him.

"I think it's time that Ratfur's kits were made apprentices," He mewed. "Can you bring them out in a couple of minutes?"

Summerheart nodded happily, giving Nightkit and Featherkit a gentle but tender lick. She already had five other kits, and it must have been busy for her, especially for her first litter.

"We'll be there," Newtfrost promised, nudging her straying kit closer to her.

Runningstar gave a small purr and rushed out of the nursery. He greeted Starfur on his way, who was chewing on a robin.

He soared to the top of the Highrock, and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

The cats of his Clan poked their heads out of their dens, curious of what was going on so early in the day. Fortunately, no patrols had left yet, so everyone was going to be here.

"Today we are naming kits that are ready to become apprentices. Come forward," He mewed to all six kits.

They looked at each other with anticipation and stumbled forward to sit down in front of the Highrock.

"Featherkit, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be Featherpaw. Honeystorm, you haven't had an apprentice for a long time. I trust you to be Featherpaw's mentor."

The golden tabby she-cat stepped forward in amazement and bent down to touch Featherpaw's nose.

"Nightkit, you are Nightpaw. Chasewind will be your mentor." Chasewind, too, looked very happy and excited to be a mentor.

"Rainkit, you are now Rainpaw. Starfur is ready for his first apprentice, and shall be Rainpaw's mentor."

"Frenzykit, you are Frenzypaw. Your mentor shall be Skycloud." Skycloud looked very happy as he came down to touch Frenzypaw's nose. Frenzypaw looked very nervous, but Runningstar could hear Skycloud purring to her softly.

"Lavenderkit, you are now Lavenderpaw. Pineclaw will be your mentor."

Pineclaw looked delighted to have Lavenderpaw as an apprentice. Runningstar wondered if he knew that she was Mossflower's daughter. The tabby bent to touch her nose with a loud, wracking cough.

"Tansykit, you are Tansypaw. Longwhisker will be her mentor." Tansypaw padded up to the rock anxiously to touch noses with the black and white tom. He let out a tiny purr. "You're doing fine," He mewed.

"This meeting has ended. Go and do your duties," Runningstar called. The mentors turned to lead their apprentices out of the hollow.

A small black and white cat came up to him. "Lavenderpaw?" Asked Runningstar. "What do you want?"

The she-cat sighed. "Actually, it's Mossflower. But does Lavenderpaw actually look that much like me?"

Runningstar nodded, his blue eyes wide.

Mossflower shook her head. "I'm sorry to say that I need you in my den," She mewed, taking a tiny cough. "I think there's something you should see."

Runningstar followed Mossflower nervously. Was it another thing about the sick cats?

"I bet you've noticed that Pineclaw was coughing today?" She asked.

Runningstar nodded.

"I fear he's getting sick, too. In fact, I think that a fraction of the Clan has gotten sick and they don't even know."

Runningstar shivered. Was he sick with the treacherous disease?

"I'm sure that you aren't sick," Mossflower mewed hastily, as if she was reading his mind. She cleared her throat. "I called you over here because I want you to give the sick warriors hope. I think when they see you, it'll make them feel better about their inevitable death."

Runningstar felt his heart sink. _Inevitable_?

"How many sick cats can there be?" He asked bitterly.

Mossflower sighed. They had arrived at her den. "Let me show you," She murmured. With a flick of her tail for him to follow and a loud cough, she ducked her head to get into her den.

Runningstar followed, holding his breath as he plunged into the medicine cat's den. He was met with one of the most horrifying sights he had ever seen.

It looked like almost half of the Clan was there. Duskstorm, Flamemoon, Autumnpelt, Catkinheart, Thornclaw, even Summerheart's young and miserable-looking kit, Pondkit….. All sick with the streaming disease.

"Wh-what happened to those other cats?" Asked Runningstar. "Shadownight, and Thistletail, and Spottedfoot?"

Mossflower hung her head. "They all have died. I'm so sorry, Runningstar, I couldn't save them."

Runningstar paused to remember Shadownight's rogueish spirit, and Spottedfoot's rugged loyalty, and Thistletail's warm kindness. It ripped his heart apart to see this many cats die.

"So none of these cats will recover?" Runningstar snapped. "You're just going to let them die?"

"I can't find a cure for this disease!" Mossflower mewed. "I can't help it if the camp is ridden with it!"

Runningstar sighed. "I'm sorry, Mossflower. I didn't mean to lose my temper."

Mossflower shook her head. "It's fine," She rasped, taking a violent cough.

"And now you're sick," Runningstar mewed gravely, stretching his head to lick her.

Mossflower gasped and leaped back. "Don't," She hissed. "Don't lick me."

"Why not?" Asked Runningstar.

"How else would Catkinheart and Thistletail and Spottedfoot get the disease?" She growled. "Grooming Shadownight."

Runningstar sighed with relief. _StarClan bless Mossflower_, Runningstar thought sadly.

"I fear that it will be my time to leave soon," Mossflower mewed hoarsely, taking another cough. Suddenly, a red, sticky fluid flowed out of her mouth. Blood.

"No, Mossflower, don't go!" He mewed alarmingly. "You can't leave so soon! Think about Weavepaw, she's hardly had two moons of training!"

"You will have to arrange getting a medicine cat from another Clan to help her finish her training," Mossflower whispered. "But otherwise, I think that Weavepaw is ready to take over for me."

Runningstar didn't care if he got the disease, he stooped down to lick her tenderly on the flank. Mossflower coughed continuously until finally, she was still.

Runningstar let out a low, mourning yowl. How could Mossflower be gone, this fast?

He heard panicked cries and coughs come from the sick cats. Now Runningstar realized what he had to do. "Where's Weavepaw?" He asked a very sick Autumnpelt.

"Out collecting herbs," The ginger and white she-cat croaked.

Runningstar gave a short nod. "Thank you," He mewed, heading out of the den. He felt his insides be ripped apart as he realized he was leaving all these innocent cats to die.

The Clan was alive with action.h action. Trailpaw, Chasewind, and ook the scraps of moss off his coat, and stretched. He trot


	7. Chapter 7

"What? Are you serious? There's no way we could do that!" Hissed a ginger she-cat, her eyes welling with tears.

It was two days since Mossflower had died. The only cats that were alive were Catkinheart, who was slowly recovering, Duskstorm, the only living relative to Ratfur's kits, Pineclaw, and Pondkit and Budkit, the two kits that would never live to see their apprenticeship.

"I think it's the only way that ThunderClan is going to survive," Runningstar explained. "Weavepaw, you have to understand."

Weavepaw wasn't listening. She was stroking Mossflower's cold, patchy pelt. "If only she didn't die so soon," She murmured. "I needed her help so much…I looked up to her…."

"Weavepaw, there will be more time to mourn later," Runningstar growled. "We need to think about the Clan!"

"But we can't move now!" Weavepaw mewed. Perhaps she had been listening the whole time. "The Gathering is tomorrow night!"

Runningstar felt his blood turn to ice. The Gathering was _tomorrow_? "I guess we'll have to trust our other cats to not betray our secret," He mewed nervously. "We have to move this instant, before this sickness infects and kills anyone else!"

Weavepaw sighed. "You're right. I guess this is the only way to help ThunderClan survive."

Runningstar licked Weavepaw's ear in sympathy. "I'm so sorry that Mossflower died," He whispered. "We will hold her burial ceremony before we leave, okay?"

Weavepaw nodded, giving Runningstar a grateful smile. "I'm sorry I haven't been very supportive, Runningstar," She mewed. "It's just been so hard for me the past two days."

Runningstar agreed. Mossflower, the cat that Weavepaw had looked up to her entire life, was now dead. That must have been hard to get over for her.

Weavepaw stopped to sniff over Catkinheart. "Yes, I think the sickness has left you," She murmured. "You may return to the warriors den."

Catkinheart purred. "Thank you so much, Weavepaw! I'm so happy you saved me!"

"I didn't," Weavepaw mewed. "It was your spirit that helped you to get better."

Catkinheart licked Weavepaw and went off to ask to join the Sunhigh patrol.

"I'm no medicine cat," Weavepaw mumbled.

"Rubbish!" Runningstar growled. "You are very young, sure, but you are also very smart! Mossflower was one of the best cats in ThunderClan, but it took her seasons to be recognized as that. When she was your age, she was just an ordinary cat like you." Runningstar gave Weavepaw a lick on the flank. "It will take time for you to earn the trust of the other cats."

Weavepaw purred. "Thank you, Runningstar. That made me feel a little better."

Runningstar flicked his tail comfortingly and started through the fern tunnel. "I'm going to announce my idea to the rest of the Clan," He mewed. "You can come if you want."

Weavepaw shrugged. "I think I'll stay here and mourn Mossflower's body a little more."

Runningstar nodded in understanding and headed for the Highrock. But on the way through the fern tunnel, he realized something. The Clan wasn't going to be very happy when he announced this to them.

The Clan could think whatever they wanted to think: It was necessary to leave camp. If they stayed here in ThunderClan camp, then more and more cats would get sick, and soon the Clan would fall all around him.

He jumped to the top of the Highrock and called the familiar summons: "L-let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a meeting of our Clan."

The summons drew the cats out of their dens, padding under the Highrock curiously. What could Runningstar possibly want at this time of day?

"Cats of ThunderClan, as you already know, there is a disease spreading through our camp, killing many. I have thought and thought and now I have made up my mind." Runningstar took a deep breath. "We are going to move out of camp until the disease is gone."

Many yowls of shock and disagreement rose from the crowd. "That's ridiculous!" Spat some. Others agreed to what Runningstar had said, and wanted to leave the camp.

"I don't exactly understand," Called Brindlerose. "We're leaving camp, just like that?"

"Yes," Runningstar called. "It is the only way we are going to survive this horrible famine."

"But our kits!" Cried Summerheart, drawing her one remaining closer to her protectively. "Whatever will happen to them?"

"We will take them with us," Runningstar mewed. "All the cats that aren't sick will come, even the queens, even the elders, even the kits."

"And what about the cats that are sick?" Called Stripewhisker. "Are we just going to leave them to die?"

Runningstar paused, his throat growing ever tighter. "I'm sorry, Stripewhisker, but that's the only way we can get rid of the disease."

More horrified yowling broke up through the audience, and now the entire clearing was filled with yowling cats.

"Quiet!" Hissed Owlclaw. "Don't you all understand what Runningstar is saying? The only way we can help each other is move away from the disease-ridden camp, which means leaving the other cats. But even if we stayed here, they would still die, wouldn't they? And many more cats would, too! This disease is impossible to cure! How else shall we get rid of it?"

The cats' yowling started to die down. One voice spoke up. "Where will we move to?" Asked Starfur. "There's nowhere we can go!"

"We will move to Sunningrocks," Runningstar assured them.

"And how long will we be gone?" Asked Honeystorm.

Runningstar sighed. How long would it take for the disease to go away? "Moons," He roughly guessed.

Scared gasps rang through the Clan. None of them were willing to move from their beloved home to a place like Sunningrocks for more than a moon. Was this plan even a very good one? Was Runningstar putting his cats in danger?

"You must understand!" Starfur yowled. "Runningstar isn't putting one of us in danger. Death is inevitable for the sick cats, like Owlclaw said. They would die anyway if we stayed here. All Runningstar wants is the best for his Clan. And we would be good Clan mates to him if we followed what he said! Besides, he is leader, right?"

Nobody spoke. The ravine was silent for a long time. Runningstar felt chilled by Starfur's excellent speech. The black tom was right- he didn't mean to put any of his Clan in danger- he just wanted the best for them. So perhaps this plan wasn't as mouse-brained as he thought.

"We leave tonight," Runningstar mewed, breaking the silence by answering the questions he knew were buzzing around in the other cats' heads.

"Tonight? But tomorrow night is the Gathering!" Called Chasewind. "What if our other cats betray us and tell the other Clans where we live?"

"I am aware that the Gathering is soon," Runningstar mewed. "But I trust all of you to not say a word about where we are living."

Everyone had fell silent again, but they all had determined looks on their faces.

"Now, before we go, does anyone have anything they need before they go?" Asked Runningstar.

"I'm having my kits!" Screeched a cat from the back of the group.

Runningstar searched for the cat that had said it and froze in terror.


	8. Chapter 8

"Somebody please help me, I'm having my kits!" Yowled Cloverleaf. Her tabby body was shuddering with spasms, and her face was twisted with pain.

Fortunately, even Weavepaw had heard the she-cat's wail, and zipped into the clearing, gently pushing the tabby she-cat to the nursery.

Runningstar leaped down from the Highrock and rushed to the nursery, fear coursing through his body. Cloverleaf was having her kits- right at the worst time.

Right as the light brown tom stuck his head into the nursery, Weavepaw shooed him out.

"Oh no you don't!" She hissed. "If you watch her give birth, you're going to be a very sorry cat!"

Runningstar shot out of the warm den and waited outside nervously. Cloverleaf was inside there going through unimaginable pain. He felt so worried about his mate he was sick.

"How are we going to leave now?" Trailpaw asked him, total fear in his eyes.

Runningstar sighed. "I don't know," He mewed. "But don't worry, we'll leave before any more cats can get sick."

Trailpaw huddled against his mentor. "I hope so, Runningstar," He mewed. "Because I'm scared."

--

Hours later, the chilling wails coming from the nursery stopped. The moon was high in the sky, and stars twinkled above the cats of ThunderClan's heads. Runningstar felt like he would burst if he didn't see his mate soon.

Suddenly, Weavepaw stepped through the nursery door. Runningstar leaped to his paws. "How is Cloverleaf? Is she okay? Please tell me she's okay!"

"She's fine," The ginger she-cat mewed with an amused gleam in her eye. "Congratulations, Runningstar, you are the father of two lovely kits!"

Runningstar felt pride flare in his heart. He wanted to go into the nursery and check, but Weavepaw stopped him yet again. "Don't go in yet," She warned. "You're going to be crowfood. Cloverleaf has so many visitors right now."

Runningstar sighed. Did the father of the kits have to wait so long?

Weavepaw chuckled. "I can tell you're impatient. Fine, go in there if you really want to."

Runningstar hurried into the nursery, pushing his way through the other cats. He felt excitement race through him. These kits were his heir, his and Cloverleaf's kits! They would success him for seasons to come.

He finally caught sight of Cloverleaf's tabby pelt and sat himself down beside her.

"Runningstar!" She mewed with delight. "Oh I'm so glad to see you! Here, have a look at your daughters."

His daughters! So they were both she-cats. He bent down to look at the two squirming kits and couldn't help but feel a burst of pride at how beautiful they both were.

The first one was a dark brown she-kit who had patches of black, and the other one was a white she-kit. Runningstar could just barely make out a couple spots of orange, on her ears and the tip of her paws. They were the prettiest kits he had ever seen in his life.

Runningstar nuzzled Cloverleaf. "I love you, Cloverleaf," He purred.

The tabby she-cat purred back, rubbing her head with her mate's. "I love you too, Runningstar. I'm so proud of our kits."

"Me too," He purred in agreement.

"So how are we going to leave now?" Asked a cat behind him.

Suddenly, it all rushed back to Runningstar. ThunderClan was under threat by a horrible disease, and had to move to Sunningrocks for StarClan knew how long.

He turned to the tom that had spoken up, who was Longwhisker. Runningstar's heart sank. He still had to look after his Clan, not just his kits. He sighed. "I don't know what we're going to do. Cloverleaf," He mewed reluctantly.

The tabby she-cat turned her head to him. "What?" She asked, alarmed. She knew exactly what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry, but these kits aren't going to survive. We have to get rid of them before we leave." Runningstar's heart felt like it was sagging down to his paws as he told Cloverleaf the news.

Cloverleaf swept her tail around her kits protectively. "Oh no," She hissed. "Runningstar, have you gone crazy? Don't you want your own kits?"

Runningstar sighed and hung his head. "It's not that I don't like the kits, but it's for the good of the Clan."

Cloverleaf shook her head violently. "No…no. There's got to be some other way. Runningstar, I can carry the kits to Sunningrocks easily!"

"But at Sunningrocks your kits are at greater risk of getting taken by foxes," Pointed out Newtfrost, licking her denmate's ear to comfort her.

"You don't think I'd watch over these kits well enough? I don't want these kits to die. Please, Runningstar!"

The light brown tom sighed. He knew that Cloverleaf would take care of her kits well enough, but if a fox really attacked her, it would take her _and_ her kits.

"Fine," He mewed. "I'll let you take the kits with us to Sunningrocks. Longwhisker, please go and tell the other cats to get themselves ready. You may all eat before we leave; best we finish off the fresh-kill pile."

"Yes, Runningstar," The black and white tom meowed, turning to leave the den.

"I'll go and find the patrols- I'll have to tell them our plan," Runningstar pointed out, remembering that a border patrol and a hunting patrol had left.

"Oh no you don't," An approaching Weavepaw mewed. "I have horrible news. Pineclaw is dead."

"What?" Runningstar hissed. He turned his head to Newtfrost. She was grooming her kits and had froze in midlick. For a few moments she just stared down, looking at nothing.

"I'm so sorry, Newtfrost," Weavepaw whispered. "It's a terrible tragedy."

The tortoiseshell let out a long, sad moan.

"We should have his burial before we leave," Runningstar mewed, rasping his tongue over Newtfrost's ears.

"I don't understand," Newtfrost whispered, her voice shaking with sobs. "Why did he have to die so young? And he was the deputy, too!"

"I'm sorry," Murmured Runningstar, pain squeezing his insides. Pineclaw had been his first deputy- now who would take his place?

"Come here, Newtfrost," Cloverleaf soothed. "Let's figure out where we'll bury Pineclaw."

While the two queens murmured to each other, Weavepaw came over to talk to her leader.

"Runningstar, it's almost sundown. You should start thinking about who to choose as deputy," She pointed out to him.

Runningstar said nothing. There seemed to be no cats that were suitable for the position as deputy. Pineclaw was the best and only cat for the job- that was why he had chosen him.

"It's all my fault," Weavepaw hissed irritably. "I'm the one that should be curing these cats, not just leaving them to die! What kind of medicine cat am I?"

Runningstar narrowed his eyes. "Weavepaw…when I made you an apprentice, you objected right as I was announcing your mentor. You knew in your heart that you wanted to be a medicine cat. Where did all that enthusiasm go?"

Weavepaw hung her head with shame. "I'm sorry, Runningstar," She whispered.

"I'm not asking you to apologize," Runningstar comforted. "I'm saying that you are the perfect cat for medicine cat. In fact, I almost knew that you were going to say you wanted to be Mossflower's apprentice that day of the ceremony."

"Really?" Asked Weavepaw.

"Yes. And if you believe your training is over, I know that you can become one of the best medicine cats the forest has ever seen," Runningstar mewed. "I've said this many other times, Weavepaw. You should start to think it over."

The ginger she-cat said nothing and left Runningstar alone to think over the deputy. He gave the ginger she-cat one last lick on the top of her head and headed for his den one last time.

As he passed through the curtain of lichen, Runningstar wondered how long it would be until he ever sat in his den again. As he sat down, the bedding felt especially soft. He felt pride flare up in his heart when he realized that Trailpaw had gotten him fresh bedding to make him feel better about today's trauma.

He settled into his bedding lay his head on his paws. Perhaps if he slept, StarClan would bring the answer to him. The bedding was more comfortable than he expected, and quickly he plunged into the darkness of sleep.

--

Runningstar woke up to see that he was in Fourtrees. The great oaks were swaying in the wind, making the moonlight-dappled leaves shimmer. Runningstar wondered why he was here.

Suddenly, the sky started to spin. Runningstar thought he was going to be dizzy until four cats came down from the sky, starlight sparkling in their fur.

Runningstar recognized them instantly. "Featherstream! Stormfeather! Cinnamonpaw!" He narrowed his eyes. The last cat was vaguely recognizable. Suddenly, it came to him.

"Ashstar!" He bounded up to nuzzle the old she-cat who had been murdered by Mudpelt, a former ThunderClan cat that had been working with Hurricanestar.

"Ashstar, please help me, I-" Runningstar let out a yowl of terror as the cats disappeared right as he came up to Ashstar. The clearing of Fourtrees was silent for many heartbeats.

"Ashstar? Cinnamonpaw? Where are you?" Asked Runningstar. He threw his head to the skies. "ASHSTAR! CINNAMONPAW?! STORMFEATHER?!"

But no replies came from the skies. The only thing that Runningstar could see was darkness. Then suddenly, a beam of light flooded the clearing, falling on Runningstar.

"Runningstar," came Ashstar's voice. "Look to the skies. What do you see?"

Runningstar looked up. "I see…the moon," He commented.

A loud purr came from Ashstar's voice. "Sometimes you can be dull, Runningstar, when the answer is right in front of you."

The answer? "The answer to what?" Yowled Runningstar.

"The stars, my son, the stars…" A whisper of a different voice came from the sky, and Runningstar didn't know who it was. Suddenly, a face appeared in the sky.

"Mother!" Cried Runningstar. "Rainpelt! Is this who I should choose for my deputy?" Still no answer.

Now Ashstar was there, replacing his mother. "Look to the skies and you will find the answer."

Runningstar looked up. Suddenly, many stars appeared, all of them gleaming brightly.

"Look for the cat with stars in his fur," Both his mother and Ashstar meowed, their voices slowly trailing off and then disappearing.

Runningstar was confused. Were Ashstar and his mother trying to tell him to make a cat of StarClan his deputy? But how could he do that? It was impossible to have a StarClan cat as his deputy! "What are you talking about?" He hissed.

Suddenly, a crack of lightning split the air, and Runningstar was briefly taken to a warm, happy-looking place, where the sunlight shone through the trees, dappling the ground. Tiny kits leaped for apples in the trees, and elders happily sunned themselves under the dappled sunshine.

Was this where he and his Clan were supposed to go?

Suddenly, a loud boom of thunder interrupted his thoughts, and a bolt of lightning shot him awake.


	9. Chapter 9

Runningstar drowsily awoke, Ashstar's prophecy still ringing in his ears. _Look for the cat with the stars in his fur_. What was she talking about?

And why did that clearing appear to him? How come StarClan had shown him that? Runningstar shivered, getting to his paws.

Rain pattered above the rock. Runningstar stepped outside and felt drops spattering his face and pelt. There were no cats in sight except for Rockkit and Rosekit, who were guiding Sunkit gently out of the nursery into the damp soil.

The prophecy from Ashstar rang again and again through his head. As he saw the dawn patrol leave, something popped up. On the patrol there was Chasewind, Skycloud, and Starfur. Starfur…was this the cat with the stars in his fur? Could it really be him? He was awfully young to be deputy…but he was certainly noble in spite of his lineage- Runningstar noticed with a chill that he was the son of Strikefoot, a very disloyal follower of Mudpelt, and Stripewhisker. He was definitely pulling through with the loss of his brother, Shadownight.

But was he the right choice? He did have an apprentice, and was a great hunter and warrior…but what if Runningstar happened to die? If Starfur was still deputy, his leader name wouldn't make sense…_Starstar_. Runningstar trembled, and not just from having his pelt wet.

But what if Starfur wasn't the cat with the stars in his fur? What if it was a different cat? _StarClan, help me! What if I'm making the wrong decisions_? But no reply came.

And the vision of the clearing came into his mind. All the cats looked so happy there…

He shook his head as he realized something with a chill of complete disappointment. Runningstar had slept through the night. That meant…the deputy wasn't appointed early enough. StarClan must have been angry.

Runningstar shoved it off and figured that the only cat that Ashstar could have possibly been talking about was Starfur. He heaved a sigh and hurried after the dawn patrol. "Wait!" He called.

Chasewind, the head of the patrol, turned his head.

"I'm so sorry…I- I slept through the deputy's ceremony," Confessed Runningstar.

None of the cats looked daunted. "StarClan will be angry," Commented Starfur coolly.

Runningstar suppressed a quiver. All the talk and thought of Starfur made his voice sound legendary.

"Come," Runningstar said. "It is time for me to appoint the deputy."

The dawn patrol followed him with surprised looks on their faces. They were the first ones under the Highrock.

Thoughts swirled through Runningstar's mind. It wasn't really his fault that he had slept through the deputy ceremony. StarClan had been busy giving him a prophecy, and he had no time to get up when Ashstar had been giving him prophecies all night.

Suddenly, Ashstar's scent came whooshing up his nose_. Oh no you don't!_ Purred her ghostly voice. _Leaders should learn to take responsibility for things. It's your fault you didn't wake up soon enough._

Runningstar didn't know whether to feel surprised or scared that he had just heard his former leader's voice. Pushing his stray thoughts away, he yowled, "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock!"

The other cats came out of their dens sluggishly, reluctant to attend a Clan meeting in the rain.

"Cats of ThunderClan, I am appointing the new deputy much too late, and for that I'm sorry. I dearly hope that StarClan forgive us." Runningstar gestured with his tail for Newtfrost to come forward. The tortoiseshell was dragging the body of her mate, looking down at him with sorrow-filled eyes.

"I say these words before Pineclaw's body so that he may hear and approve my choice," Runningstar yowled. "Starfur is the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Yowls of contempt rose from the crowd. "Why Starfur?" Hissed a louder voice. Runningstar saw, to his dismay, that it was Chasewind. The thought of the young tom had crossed his mind. Besides, he had shared apprenticeship with him. But it was StarClan's choice, and he had to follow the will of his warrior ancestors.

"And what if Starfur is made leader?" Yowled Brindlerose. "What's his name going to be?"

"Starstar! Starstar!" Teased Nightpaw, Featherpaw and Tansypaw. And at that moment, Runningstar saw something he never thought he'd see: scorn on the face of Mossflower. Tansypaw was being outrageous.

Runningstar looked to Starfur's face. The smile of pride was replaced with a look of horror at his Clanmates.

"SILENCE!" Screeched another cat. Runningstar was surprised that it wasn't him but the elder and former queen, Stripewhisker, who was also Starfur's mother. "Leave him alone," She snarled.

Everyone was silent. Starfur gulped and spoke up: "I- I'm happy to take this d-duty as deputy," He mumbled nervously. "And I'm sorry if any of you are disappointed with me. I'll try to be one of ThunderClan's best deputies!"

All the cats were still silent. Starfur drooped and looked miserable. None of his jealous Clan mates were accepting that he was deputy and not they.

"Starfur! Starfur!" Came Rainpaw and Owlclaw's loud yowls of approval. Soon more and more cats were doing it.

"Starfur! Starfur!" Cried Stripewhisker, Skycloud and a now better Catkinheart.

"Starfur! Starfur! Starfur! Starfur!" Yowled the entire crowd. Even Chasewind was congratulating the new deputy.

Starfur smiled to himself. "Thank you, Runningstar, for choosing me of all cats as your deputy. It- it's an honor."

Runningstar said nothing but gave an acknowledging flick of his tail.

Suddenly, Runningstar felt a flash of pride for his Clan. They all were the best cats that a leader could have in his Clan. It made him excited to have so many great cats in his Clan.

And then another thought of the clearing in his dream came up. It had been filled with apple trees. Runningstar knew exactly where it was- the group of apple blossoms. Of course- why hadn't he thought of it before? StarClan was telling him where he should take his broken Clan to live!


	10. Chapter 10

It was later that day. Many cats were lined up outside the gorse tunnel. There was one line of apprentices, one line of elders, one line of queens, and one line of warriors, and a small ginger she-cat was going up and down the rows, checking their health conditions.

At the nursery on the other side of the clearing, Runningstar was helping the queens to the gorse tunnel. He had gotten three warriors, Starfur, Longwhisker, and Chasewind, to help him carry the kits, and Runningstar himself helped to escort the queens.

Newtfrost trotted up ahead. She had insisted that she could go on her own. She was in a bad mood ever since both Pineclaw and Budkit had died. It was very unlike her.

When Summerheart and her kits had made it to the line, Runningstar sighed in relief. "Phew. There, you and your kits are safe to go!" He assured them. "Weavepaw is just going to come over and check to see that you don't have any symptoms of that nasty disease."

Summerheart flinched at the mention of the disease, but nodded and sat down behind Deerstripe, who was heavily pregnant. It wasn't too long ago that Summerheart had lost Pondkit to the disease.

Finally, the last cat that needed help was Cloverleaf. Runningstar ran for his mate, anxious to help her and the kits, but Longwhisker was right behind him.

When he saw the tabby she-cat, they both purred and rubbed each other affectionately. Runningstar was so happy to have a mate through these hard times.

"Can I carry a kit?" Asked Runningstar.

Cloverleaf purred. "You should," She mewed happily. "They're your daughters."

Runningstar purred with delight and picked up the white she-kit with ginger on her toes and the tips of her ears. She was beautiful once her fur had dried out.

"Want me to take this other one, Runningstar?" Asked Longwhisker.

Runningstar nodded, pushing the other kit, who was brown with a black underbelly, towards Longwhisker. A very strange feature on the kit caught his eye. She had a large black spot on her muzzle. He felt a warmth rise up in his heart. He loved his kits- they were the best kits a father could ask for.

He briefly set down his kit and talked to Cloverleaf. "Have you decided to name them yet?" He asked.

Cloverleaf let out a small purr. "Yes, I have. The black and brown one is named Wrenkit, and the ginger and white one is Soarkit."

Soarkit and Wrenkit. Something about those wonderful names made Runningstar so happy he could fly to StarClan and back.

"Do you like them?" Asked Cloverleaf nervously.

Runningstar flicked his tail across Cloverleaf's ears in reply and nodded. They were beautiful names for beautiful kits.

They had arrived at the line for the queens. "Are you ready to leave?" Asked Runningstar after he had set down the tiny kit.

Cloverleaf shrugged. "I guess I'm just not ready to leave this camp. I grew up here…this was where I first met you, where I was made an apprentice and a warrior…" She sighed. "I'm going to miss it here."

"We aren't leaving forever!" Purred Runningstar. "We'll come back in a few moons, perhaps a season." He nuzzled his mate, mewed farewell, and padded to Weavepaw for a checkover.

Weavepaw sniffed him over. "Hmm…you don't seem very warm," She mewed, pressing her paws to his face. "Sorry, it's part of the process. No streaming nose or eyes…no frailness or dull coat…you're ready to go," She mewed confidently.

Runningstar purred. "Thank you, Weavepaw," He meowed. "You're doing a good job." He looked around and lowered his voice. "How are the ill cats?"

"You mean how were the ill cats." Mewed Weavepaw sadly. "The rest looked like they were going through torture. Fortunately, they didn't know we were leaving them. I gave them some deathberries to put them out of their misery."

Runningstar gave a short nod of approval. "Good choice. Did they accept them?"

"They knew they were going to die anyway and accepted them willingly. I agree- it's much better than coughing and sneezing to death," Weavepaw said.

Runningstar ran his tail around her shoulders. "Wonderful job you're doing. One more question- did you bury them?"

Weavepaw nodded. "I made sure their loved ones were there to say their last goodbyes."

"Good. You are doing an awesome job. No other cat could have done better," Runningstar mewed.

Suddenly a wail came from the elders line. Weavepaw groaned. "I'll be right back," She growled. "I'll be right there with more poppy seeds, Spiritwing! Your joints can wait a few moments!"

Runningstar chuckled. His Clan was molding from the devastated Clan into strong, kind, loyal cats. In another half-moon, it would be time for her to receive her medicine cat name.

After Spiritwing had been attended to, Weavepaw confirmed everyone was ready to leave. Runningstar padded through the sea of cats to the front of all four lines. All the talking cats lowered their voices for him to speak.

"Cats of ThunderClan, three moons ago, your leader, Ashstar died. I did my best to take her place as a caring, noble leader. I hope I've been doing an okay job. This sickness has really been challenging me to take all my loyalty to the test- loyalty to StarClan as well as ThunderClan. And of course, loyalty to all of you. And let me tell you, every single one of you are the best cats a leader could have in his Clan. Thank you."

"Go Runningstar!" Squealed Rosekit. She blushed as all eyes turned to her.

"Now, all of you, please stay behind me and never leave your line," Runningstar ordered. "We are not moving to Sunningrocks."

The Clan let out gasps of anxiety. The elders turned to each other with fear.

"StarClan has told me that we should go to the apple blossom hollow. It seems like a safer place, more concealed like our former camp."

Runningstar turned toward the gorse tunnel. "Everyone ready?" He asked.

Murmurs of agreement came from the cats.

"Let's go," Runningstar mewed. He turned around to see the clearing one last time. His heart felt heavy. This was the place where he had been born and trained as an apprentice. Where he had become an apprentice, warrior, and deputy. Where he had fought countless battles to defend his Clan. Where his beautiful kits were born, where he had met his mate…where he had seen many cats grow up and grow strong. He would miss this camp more than anything before, but he knew that they would come back, someday when famine had left the camp, and his Clan could live in harmony.

And as he turned to leave out of the gorse tunnel, he knew that every other cat lined up behind him was thinking the same thing.


	11. Chapter 11

Soon, rain had come again. Many cats behind Runningstar were grumbling loudly, especially the ones with long pelts. But they had to get to the apple blossom hollow, where it was safe for a Clan to live in peace without famine.

The cats behind him were silent the entire way. But Runningstar could tell that in their hearts tension, fear and anxiety roamed. He shivered, hoping he was making the right decision for his Clan.

He looked behind him, at his queen, his mate, Cloverleaf. She was carrying Wrenkit, while Starfur carried Soarkit, and she was looking at both very lovingly. Runningstar felt love and comfort burn strongly in his heart. Wherever StarClan took him, he would always have Cloverleaf.

He stopped suddenly, they had arrived at the entrance to the clearing. Before he allowed any cats to pass, he ordered that no cats mark the border of camp. No other trespassers would know where the new ThunderClan camp was.

Finally, Runningstar stepped into the clearing, and the orderly lines of cats broke up to get into their new home. The Clan looked fascinated by its beauty and similarity to the ravine where they used to live.

Runningstar told many warriors to split up into two patrols to hunt prey for the fresh-kill pile and a few apprentices to help put up the thorn wall on the border of camp. After he finished, he summoned Weavepaw, Starfur, Skycloud, Moonpad, Spiritwing, Trailpaw, Rainpaw, Cloverleaf, and Summerheart to come with him. Deerstripe and Newtfrost watched over the kits for the queens. It was time to decide where the dens would be.

The first thing efficient enough for a den that Runningstar noticed was a large, thick bramble bush. "I say that would be perfect for the warrior's den," he mewed. "It's closest to the camp entrance."

All the others agreed. Starfur and Skycloud went inside to clear a nesting space for the warriors while Runningstar and the rest searched for an apprentice's den.

"Trailpaw, what do you think would make for a good apprentices den?" asked Runningstar.

"Well, the one in camp was right across from the warriors den," Trailpaw commented. "So I say it should be…that juniper bush over there!"

"Perfect!" Purred Rainpaw, pressing her pelt to Trailpaw's. "It has a huge boulder outside of it, a great replacement for the tree stump in camp!" Runningstar smiled with amusement at Trailpaw's first love.

It was sunset when they finally decided on all the dens. The elders den was a tipped over tree that was rotting out on the inside, and the nursery was a den that was a hole between the roots of an apple tree. _Perfect protection from invaders,_ Runningstar proudly thought.

The medicine cat's den was a clump of moss shaded by ferns, and had many rocks and pockets for Weavepaw to put her herbs in. And finally, Runningstar's den was a crack in one of the apple trees. There was branches hanging over the entrance, creating a wall to protect him from intruders.

"Excellent," Runningstar mewed. "Trailpaw, you fetch the apprentices and tell them where their new den is. Skycloud, you do the same thing for the warriors, and Moonpad, you do the same for the elders. Cloverleaf can show the queens where their den is, too."

"What are you going to do?" Asked Trailpaw.

"I'm going to find a place for the fresh-kill pile," Runningstar replied. "So that the hunting patrol have a place to put their prey when they get back."

The dark tabby tom shrugged and hurried away to show the other six apprentices where they would sleep.

Runningstar scanned the clearing, finding a place where their prey would be a little hidden, but visible to ThunderClan. His eyes rested on a thick patch of gorse. _The best place,_ he thought to himself. He sat himself down and waited for the hunting patrol to arrive back.

--

A dark brown tom lay huddled against an elder bush. He cackled to himself quietly. "Ah, so ThunderClan have found a new camp," He hissed. "It seems that they've gotten over the sickness a little too quick."

He backed out of the bush, grumbling about the prickly branches, and padded back to ShadowClan territory to tell his leader about what he had just seen.

--

Finally, the hunting patrol had arrived back. Runningstar greeted them with enthusiastic purrs when he realized that they had all arrived back with their mouths full of prey.

"Wonderful job," Runningstar purred. "Is that all of it?"

Honeystorm stepped to the front, shaking her head. "No, the apprentices and the rest of the warriors still have to make a second trip. The prey has been very plentiful today!"

"You bet!" Yowled Oakpelt. "The prey was literally leaping into our jaws, begging to be eaten!"

"Quiet down, Oakpelt," Owlclaw meowed, running her tail along her brother's shoulders.

Just as Oakpelt had finished talking, the rest of the warriors and apprentices came in carrying even more prey. "Perfect," Runningstar mewed. "Great job, all of you. I'm so proud of you all."

He looked down at Trailpaw, who was showing the other apprentices where their den was. It was time that he became a warrior soon.

"Trailpaw!" Cried Runningstar when the tabby tom was finished showing the apprentices around. He flicked his tail for his apprentice to come forward.

Trailpaw trotted towards him. "What is it, Runningstar?" He asked.

"How would you like to have one more assessment?" Asked the light brown tom. "I think it was time you were named a warrior. You've been training for three moons now, I think you're ready."

Trailpaw's amber eyes lit up. "Really? Oh Runningstar, thank you so much!" He flicked his tail excitedly. "Can we leave now?"

"Yes, but I'd like you to do a favor for me first," He mewed. "Can you fetch Chasewind and Bloodflower to come with us? They'd make good company."

Trailpaw nodded and zipped off toward the new warriors den, talking to Bloodflower and Chasewind about his last assessment.

Runningstar padded to the wall where the older kits and apprentices were working on the thorn tunnel and the thorn wall. They were making great progress.

Finally, after just a few heartbeats, Trailpaw came with Bloodflower behind him. When Runningstar asked where Chasewind was, Trailpaw explained that he was out collecting the other prey that he had caught.

The three cats headed out of the clearing, bidding farewell to the cats working on the thorn wall.

--

A dark brown tom scampered back to his camp, slithering through the thick undergrowth. He looked all around him before leaving ThunderClan territory through a tunnel under the Thunderpath.

As he neared the marshlands, two huge, muscular cats waited outside a wall of reeds. "What are you doing here?" Asked a ginger one.

"Yes, I thought that you would never return. What is your business?" Asked the second one, which was a brown tabby.

The dark brown tom hung his head. "Can't the ShadowClan deputy enter his camp anymore?" He asked.

The two cats looked at each other, alarmed. "Mudpelt? You are the ShadowClan deputy?" They asked.

Mudpelt parted his lips in a snarl, slowly and silently unsheathing his claws. "Yes, and I'm not going to let two fat, lazy kittypets like you keep me away from camp!"

"Who are you calling fat and lazy?" Spat the ginger guard, whipping his claws out. "If we're so fat and lazy, why did Hurricanestar himself employ us?"

Mudpelt sighed. "Just put your claws away and let me through," He snarled.

The two big toms exchanged a glance and parted themselves to let the dark tom pass. Mudpelt rudely shouldered his way between the two and went on to the camp.

Standing in the middle of camp, ripping apart a thrush, sat a dark gray tom, his amber eyes gleaming hungrily.

"Hurricanestar," Grunted Mudpelt.

The gray tom looked up in annoyance. "Why must you always interrupt me in the middle of my meals, Mudpelt?" He asked grumpily.

"Shut up and listen. I have news about ThunderClan," Mudpelt growled.

Hurricanestar looked up from his impaled thrush in interest. "Ah, so your mission went well?" He purred richly.

Mudpelt nodded gravely. "Yes. I have bad news, though. ThunderClan are starting to get over the sickness- they killed off all the cats that were ill and now I've news that they have moved to another camp."

Hurricanestar shot to his paws. "Another camp?" He snarled. "Impossible. No Clan has ever moved their camp before!" He started pacing back and forth, grumbling in low tones to himself.

"I'm sure they've forgotten about the rats, too. Those are no longer in their hunting grounds," Mudpelt reminded his leader.

"MOVE THEM!" Hissed Hurricanestar. "Where is the prisoner? Perhaps she can make me feel better."

"Would you like me to fetch Lionfur for you?" Asked Mudpelt. He slipped off before Hurricanestar had time to reply.

The dark gray tom went into deep thought while the deputy was gone. ThunderClan had moved camps? And even more interesting news, Runningstar had let his cats die? This would indeed make good news at the Gathering!

Finally, the dark brown tom came back with a golden brown she-cat. She used to be beautiful, but now her pelt was dull and ruffled, and her bright green eyes were dim. She grunted in discomfort as Mudpelt pushed her forward.

"Ah, Lionfur," Mudpelt mewed. "What would you like to do for me today?"

Lionfur spat in outrage. "I've already hunted your prey, groomed your pelt and washed your paw pads! What more would you like me to do?"

Hurricanestar smirked. "Have I told you I don't have a mate yet?" He asked quietly, drawing his paw along Lionfur's flank.

"No," Whispered Lionfur. "You can't make me. Never! NEVER!"

"Mudpelt, you can leave me with Lionfur now," Hurricanestar mewed, flicking his tail to dismiss his deputy.

"No, please, don't go, help me! Help me! HELP!" Wailed Lionfur.

But Mudpelt wasn't listening. He only shot a cold sneer at the golden brown she-cat and slipped out of the den.

As Hurricanestar drew even nearer to her, Lionfur cried, "No, Hurricanestar, I won't let you!"

Hurricanestar stopped right in front of Lionfur, giving her an apathetic glance. Then, suddenly, he whipped his claws out and slapped them across her face. "You are a disgrace," He hissed quietly. "Leave my sight, now. Go into ThunderClan territory, and tell Runningstar that he hasn't totally escaped. I will hunt him and his Clan down, and kill each and every one of them. Remember to tell him that."

Lionfur nodded, blood running down her face, and scattered out of camp, hoping that she never had to be that close to the ShadowClan leader ever again.


	12. Chapter 12

"Here's the border. We should mark our scent here," Runningstar mewed to his apprentice. Trailpaw nodded and left his scent there, while Runningstar came up to Bloodflower.

"How do you think he's doing?" He asked her.

"Wonderful," She purred. "He's one of the best apprentices in ThunderClan for a long time. I think he deserves to become a warrior."

Runningstar nodded in agreement as Trailpaw started to track down an unsuspecting robin.

The brown tabby came up to Runningstar, proudly wielding the bird he hunted all by himself. "I see that you've memorized the bird stalking technique," Runningstar mewed. "Good job." Trailpaw beamed.

The three cats continued around a cluster of sycamore trees. "What do you smell here?" Asked Runningstar.

Trailpaw opened his mouth to take in a few breaths deeply. "Twolegs," He commented. "But it's stale. And…" He sniffed even harder. "Rat. I think I remember this smell, Runningstar," He mewed, looking up at his mentor nervously.

Runningstar took a sniff himself. Trailpaw was right; there was a strong scent of rat here. "I'll be right back," He mewed. "Keep up the good work."

The light brown tom scuffled around the bracken, keeping his mouth open. The smell of rat got stronger and stronger. The smell of mouse drifted past his nose, but Runningstar ignored it.

Suddenly, he came upon them: the rotting rats that had been lying in ThunderClan territory. He smelled even harder when a familiar scent was detected. W in his heart. He knew what was going on. ShadowClan, or Hurricanestar for the most of it, had caught their rotten rats from their own territory, then put them in ThunderClan territory for revenge. And Runningstar knew exactly why: ThunderClan had refused to share their territory when ShadowClan was sick.

It was Hurricanestar's fault that all of the great cats in ThunderClan had died.

Furious, Runningstar took all three rats by the tail and hurried for ShadowClan territory, careful not to drop them or get himself sick. Thoughts of pure anger and hatred filled his head as he headed for the Thunderpath.

Once he had gotten to the huge, black river, he summoned up all the hate for Hurricanestar and flung the rats onto the Thunderpath. "Hurricanestar!" He yowled. "Don't try and find me! If you do, you are dead! DEAD!"

And he walked away, pure fury running through his veins.

--

"Trailpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Runningstar asked his eager apprentice. The leader was on top a thick, high branch in one of the taller apple blossom trees. This, he had decided, was the new Highrock.

"I do," The dark brown tabby mewed, excitement sparkling in his amber eyes.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Trailpaw, from this moment on your name will be Trailclaw. StarClan honors your intelligence and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Trailclaw! Trailclaw!" Chanted the Clan.

Runningstar looked down at his former apprentice proudly. He wasn't just proud that this was the first warrior he had named in camp; His apprentice really earned his warrior name.

"I also have an announcement," Runningstar mewed. "If anyone happens to see Mudpelt or Hurricanestar on our territory, kill them at once. They are very unwelcome intruders, and I don't want them here."

The cats looked at each other in alarm. Deerstripe especially looked horrified that her mate could be killed by her own Clan mates.

Trailclaw was being swarmed by all the warriors and apprentices, except for Rainpaw. She was standing far away from the warrior, looking at him sadly. The poor she-cat wouldn't have one of her best friends as a denmate anymore. Runningstar wondered if she was totally heartbroken.

"I have one more announcement to make," He called to the now dispersing Clan cats. They all turned to look at him curiously.

"Ever since Pineclaw died, Lavenderpaw hasn't had a mentor. I have chosen a warrior to be the mentor for her." He turned to Brindlerose. "Brindlerose will be Lavenderpaw's mentor until she is ready to be made a warrior."

Brindlerose looked happy and excited about her new apprentice, but Lavenderpaw was saddened at the mention of her former mentor. Runningstar felt guilty to bring it up, but it was the only way for her to continue her apprenticeship.

Suddenly, a loud crash and a yowl sounded from the thorn wall. Runningstar looked across the clearing in alarm. Were there invaders in camp?

Runningstar stretched his head to get a look, but so many cats were crowded around it that he couldn't get a good glimpse. Had Mudpelt or Hurricanestar found their new camp?

The worried mews had lowered down to surprised gasps. Runningstar slipped to the front of the crowd to get a good look at the newcomer.

And, to his surprise, standing right in front of him was Lionstar, the former leader of WindClan.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey peeps! Sorry for the slow updating! I kno, I must suck now! And I've lost so many reviewers! Plz plz come back!! PLZ!! I'll give u a Lionstar plushie? Or a Trailclaw plushie, if that's more satisfying to u. :3**

"Spy!" Spat Chasewind, pinning Lionstar down. "What do you think you're doing here, you filthy spy? What Clan are you from?"

Lionstar trembled. "I- I…"

"Get out of our territory!" Hissed Brindlerose.

"Yeah! You have no right to be here!" Catkinheart mewed above the rousing yowls.

It seemed that all the cats in the Clan were yowling when Runningstar spoke up. "Silence!" He spat. "Who are you and why are you in ThunderClan territory?" Asked Runningstar.

Lionstar's voice shook as she spoke. "I- I'm Lionfur. I'm from WindClan, I used to be the leader, but Hurricanestar formed an alliance with Gorsestar when he was a warrior and they planned to capture me. Now I'm a prisoner of ShadowClan, and now that Gorsestar has achieved his ambition, Hurricanestar wants something from him!"

The rest of the Clan gasped. "Lionstar?" Hissed Honeystorm in surprise. "Aren't you dead?"

"Yes, it's me! I'm not dead! That's only what that traitor Gorsestar told everyone." Lionfur exclaimed. "Please, you have to help me, Hurricanestar tried to mate with me! The only reason he set me free is because he sent me with a message!"

"A message from Hurricanestar?" Asked Runningstar, tipping his head to the side. "Can you tell us?" The light brown tom noticed that Lionfur was bleeding all over her face. "Weavepaw, help Lionfur with her scratches."

Lionfur nodded as the ginger she-cat draped cobwebs across her cheek. "Yes. H-Hurricanestar said that you haven't totally escaped, Runningstar. He said that he will hunt ThunderClan down and kill every one of us."

The Clan gasped in horror. Deerstripe almost keeled over with shock.

"Don't worry Lionfur, you'll be fine," Runningstar mewed. "ThunderClan will help you."

Lionfur sighed with relief. "Th-thank you, Runningstar. I hope you don't mind my staying here."

"_Staying_?" spat Chasewind. "Runningstar never offered for you to stay!"

"That actually is a good idea," Runningstar pointed out. "Lionfur has nowhere to go. If she goes back to WindClan, all the other cats will get frightened, because they think that Lionfur is dead. But if she goes back to ShadowClan, Hurricanestar might kill her."

"So dump her on RiverClan, why don't you?" Spat Oakpelt.

Runningstar looked in the dark ginger tom's direction. Oakpelt didn't quite understand what it was like to be Clanborn- besides, he was a kittypet. But that was no excuse to say remarks like that. "RiverClan do not need to be caught up in this feud," Runningstar told Oakpelt. "If every Clan finds out that Lionfur is really alive, they may get more frightened than we did."

The Clan mumbled in agreement, and Starfur yowled out, "So she stays in ThunderClan?"

"Yes," Runningstar replied.

"So is she a ThunderClan cat now?" Asked Frenzypaw.

Runningstar thought over that question a little. Frenzypaw had a point- Lionfur was a WindClan cat through and through, but if she didn't have a Clan, she would be considered a rogue. "No," he mewed. "It would be like Skycloud in ShadowClan- he was just a warrior there, not really a named ShadowClan cat."

Runningstar saw Skycloud nodding in agreement and mumbling to Summerheart.

"Thank you so much, Runningstar," Lionfur mewed.

"No problem for us," Runningstar assured her. "We can't let a Clan exile their leader for no reason. You may stay in the warrior's den, if you'd like," He told her.

As Lionfur scrambled off to the warrior's den to sleep for the night, a black tom came up to Runningstar. It was Starfur, and he had a grief-stricken look on his face.

"Starfur?" Asked Runningstar.

Starfur gulped. "Runningstar, I just wanted to tell you…um…" He sighed, pawing at the ground.

Runningstar flicked his deputy's golden ear with his tail. "Come on," He mewed. "Let's go discuss this in my den." The two padded towards the hollowed-out apple tree.

"Starfur!" Cried a tom, running towards the deputy. It was Longwhisker. "Can you order the sundown patrol?"

"Yes…um, how about Chasewind, Honeystorm, Trailclaw, and Nightpaw?"

"Great," Longwhisker mewed. "And the dawn patrol?"

Runningstar could tell that Starfur was stifling a sigh. "Um, Brindlerose, you, and Owlclaw," He tossed a few names to the black and white tom. "Oh, and take Lavenderpaw with you."

"What about the dawn and sundown hunting patrols?" Inquired Longwhisker.

Starfur narrowed his bright amber eyes. Was Longwhisker trying to pull his fur? "No more hunting today. How about tomorrow after the dawn patrol comes back, I can take Oakpelt, Skycloud and Featherpaw?"

"Sounds good to me," Longwhisker mewed. "Wait, I can't go on the dawn patrol. I'm training Tansypaw tomorrow."

"Then tell Bloodflower to take your place!" Snapped Starfur. He whipped off behind Runningstar and didn't say anything more to the black and white tom.

"Being deputy puts a lot of stress on you, huh?" Asked Runningstar, flicking his tail with slight amusement.

Starfur sighed. "It's just patrol after patrol after patrol!" He looked about to collapse. "That's what I want to talk to you about, actually. I don't think I'm cut out to be your deputy."

"What?" Hissed Runningstar as he squeezed through the branches protecting his den. He beckoned for Starfur to come inside. "What are you talking about? You were great out there, ordering all those patrols!"

"But I'm so young…I don't think I can handle all of this responsibility on my own."

Runningstar wondered if he should tell Starfur that StarClan decided for him to be deputy. Would it be okay to share his dream?

"Listen, Starfur, I want to tell you something," Runningstar mewed. "StarClan came to me with a dream the night before you were made deputy. They gave me a prophecy: look for the cat with stars in his fur."

Starfur's eyes looked astounded that a prophecy about him had come from StarClan. "You're lying," He hissed. "You're trying to make me feel better about my deputyship."

"No, it's true," Runningstar mewed. "That's why I had your deputy ceremony so late, because I was asleep all night, receiving a prophecy about you from StarClan."

The black tom shivered. "So StarClan really wanted me for ThunderClan's deputy?" He asked.

"Yes, out of all the other older, experienced warriors, the cats of StarClan chose you," Runningstar told him, laying his tail on the tom's shoulder. "And I think your destiny is to success me, too. You are such a loyal cat, and brave too. The only reason the other cats are giving you such a hard time is because they're jealous. Longwhisker wanted to be deputy so bad, especially since he's moons older than you."

Starfur looked up. "Really?" He asked.

"I'd never lie to my deputy," Runningstar mewed. "So will you stay deputy? For me?"

Starfur looked back at his paws again, but only a few heartbeats passed before he looked up into Runningstar's eyes. It was the boldest look he had ever seen from the warrior- his amber eyes glittered brightly as if the stars of StarClan lit them. "I will," He mewed. "I'm sorry I ever doubted your decision."

"It's fine," Runningstar mewed. "You never doubted my decision. You doubted yourself."

Starfur looked up at Runningstar, gave another him a weak smile, and turned to leave the den. Runningstar felt a glow of pride for his new deputy. He certainly was the right choice.

But then he thought of something. Was it okay to tell Starfur about the dream? StarClan were already angry with the leader for making the deputy ceremony late, now would they be even more mad if they found out he had told Starfur about their prophecy?

**How did u like the chapter? This story isn't going too good...but the next one will be better, I promise! And I'm working so much on both homework and my other fanfics, so I'm sorry I've been so sluggish. Oh, and check me page! I have a couple nu story ideas!**


	14. Chapter 14

**So how do u like my newer story ideas? What do you mean you haven't looked at them? DO IT! And plz come and read this! I'm getting less and less reviewers!!**

Runningstar was poised at the top of the clearing with his patrol behind him. He waited before going down quite yet, and took a look to see if the other Clans were there.

It was the night of the Gathering. Runningstar had taken Starfur, Chasewind, Longwhisker, Owlclaw, Skycloud, Trailclaw, Rainpaw, Lavenderpaw, Frenzypaw, Nightpaw, Spiritwing, and Moonpad. He wanted to take as many cats as he could so that he could show the other Clans they were recovering, but he had left a few back at camp just in case Hurricanestar or any other cat decided to have an ambush in the middle of the Gathering.

"Can we go yet, Runningstar?" Whispered Catkinheart.

Runningstar nodded. "Let's go." He led ThunderClan streaming down the clearing and into Fourtrees, where RiverClan sat calmly and waited for the other three Clans.

"I see we're early," Runningstar commented. His Clan split up to talk to the RiverClan elders, warriors, queens, and apprentices. Runningstar padded over to Otterstar, the leader of RiverClan.

"How are things running in RiverClan?" Asked Runningstar as they both approached the Tallrock.

"You'll find out at the Gathering," Spat Otterstar. She leaped up to the Tallrock in one long bound, and Runningstar followed her.

A loud yowl heralded the arrival of ShadowClan and WindClan. They both were running into the clearing, with ShadowClan cats intertwined in WindClan's group. This seemed suspicious.

"Now that all four Clans have arrived, we may start the Gathering," Hurricanestar growled.

Runningstar nodded, opened his mouth and let out a yowl to signal for the Gathering to begin.

"May I start?" Asked the ShadowClan leader. All three of the leaders nodded.

Hurricanestar talked about how a new litter of kits was born, and two new queens were in the nursery. He heralded two new warriors, Gashstripe and Streamflower, too. But that was all the news he had.

After the Clan had chanted the new names, Otterstar talked about how a strange, unexpected famine had killed off most of her cats. That must have been why there were only three warriors and one apprentice there.

WindClan had very good news. Apparently, the rule of Gorsestar was turning out for the best. WindClan had plentiful prey, and two new litters of kits and three more queens. WindClan was making a swift recovery as well as ShadowClan.

Finally, it was Runningstar's turn. He had lots to tell the other cats about what Hurricanestar had did. But first, he would announce the usual Clan news.

"Just a few days ago, we had a new litter of kits from Cloverleaf," He mewed. "Soarkit and Wrenkit. Deerstripe has joined the nursery as a queen." Purrs of surprise and pleasure erupted from the crowd. Deerstripe was a popular cat, and very beautiful.

"And we have a new warrior, Trailclaw."

"Trailclaw! Trailclaw!" Chanted the cats.

Runningstar held back a sigh and decided to tell the Clan his most important news. "I have grave news from ThunderClan," Runningstar mewed. "We have gotten a mysterious sickness similar to RiverClan's that hasn't been able to be cured. Many cats died, and for that I feel terrible." He looked down at his paws sadly, remembering his former deputy, Pineclaw, and Mossflower as well.

"And," He went on, "I have made a shocking discovery. All the Clans have received this illness, and I think that I know why. I found rats in our territory, rotting, dead rats. I reckon they must have been taken from ShadowClan territory and put into ours. The cat that has done this is unknown, but I'm sure I'll figure it out very soon." He cast a glare at Hurricanestar. The dark gray tom returned it gladly.

Otterstar pushed to the head of the Tallrock. "I saw rats in my territory, too. I don't know where they came from, but I'm sure that Runningstar is right. Most rats live in ShadowClan territory."

"But they could have been from the barn by WindClan territory," Insisted Gorsestar. "I mean, don't blame ShadowClan for everything bad that happens." He gave Hurricanestar a look of trust, but the gray tom didn't seem to know he was being looked at.

"So you're trying to say that WindClan is to blame for this?" Spat Otterstar. "Just look at all this famine in the forest. Even WindClan, Gorsestar, suffered from this same disease."

Gorsestar snorted. "I don't ever recall that happening," He hissed through his teeth.

"But I do," Wailed a RiverClan elder. "I remember when Lionstar was still leader, she told us that a sickness had spread through her Clan and wiped it out. Remember how under-populated WindClan was? There were hardly five warriors!"

"Shut up!" Spat Gorsestar. "That was when Lionstar was leader. She gave away our weaknesses at Gatherings, and that was what wiped out WindClan. And why is WindClan news any of your business, you crotchety elder?"

The RiverClan elder gave a small spit at the WindClan leader.

"I think that Hurricanestar is to blame for the rats!" Spoke up a voice from the crowd.

Runningstar craned his neck to see a small silver tabby she-cat that was surrounded by RiverClan cats. She must have been a RiverClan apprentice.

The entire crowd gasped and all eyes turned to Hurricanestar. "Is this true?" Snarled Otterstar.

Hurricanestar stayed still. "I don't know what he's saying," He simply mewed.

"Nonsense! Runningstar is right! You are a traitor to the forest!" Snarled the brown she-cat. "No cat can trust you, you filthy fox-heart!"

"Hurricanestar is very loyal!" Spat Gorsestar. "You have no right to call him a traitor!"

"And you would say that, Gorsestar, since you banished Lionstar and stripped her of her nine lives!" Runningstar cried.

RiverClan and WindClan both gasped. They didn't know that Lionstar was still alive.

Runningstar gestured to his warriors for them to be quiet. He didn't want them to say any more about where Lionfur was right now.

"This Gathering is ended!" Hissed Hurricanestar. "Go in peace."

"How are we supposed to go in peace when you are roaming the forest, traitor!" Spat a cat.

Wisely ignoring it, Hurricanestar turned to lead his Clan out of the clearing. But before he did, he looked back at Runningstar. "Meet me here in a quarter moon," He hissed lightly. "And I can tell you what I think of your little, 'announcement'."

Runningstar thought he felt his heart stop. Hurricanestar wanted to meet him at Fourtrees in a quarter moon?

As Runningstar gathered his Clan, Trailclaw, Starfur and Skycloud came up to him.

"I can't believe that you got the courage to tell all the Clans the truth about Hurricanestar," Skycloud purred. "Congratulations!"

"Runningstar," Huffed Starfur, "Did you hear what Hurricanestar said? He wants to meet us here in a quarter moon…" His voice trailed off and he gulped hard.

"Don't worry," Runningstar mewed. "If Hurricanestar wants war, it's war he'll get. But he won't stand a chance against the amazing warriors all of you turned out to be." He licked all three of them over the ear. "I find it a privilege to be leader of ThunderClan over you."

The three others looked at each other in surprise. "I'm privileged to serve under you, Runningstar," Trailclaw mewed, looking up at Runningstar with pride in his eyes. He looked as if he were about to cry, and Runningstar was brought back to the day when he was training with the tom in his apprentice days, when tears had sprung up in his eyes with pride.

And that moment, when three of his most trusted warriors were looking up at him with pure confidence, he knew that they would defeat ShadowClan in this coming war.

**Aww...so how do u like Starfur as deputy so far? ThunderClan sure have gotten into a lot of trouble with ShadowClan! ;)**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm feeling generous on my four day weekend, so here ya go! I'm going to update faster now! YAY!!**

"They're certainly beautiful," Runningstar murmured as he looked over his kits. Cloverleaf sat beside him, watching them suckle by her.

The sun had risen and set four days after the Gathering. Runningstar had ordered extra patrols to make sure that there were no ShadowClan intruders on their territory, but otherwise Clan life was going great. The fresh-kill pile was well stocked although the first chills of leaf-fall were setting in. Deerstripe had had her kits, and a new queen had joined the nursery: Owlclaw was having Starfur's kits. Also, the apprentices were getting plenty of training in. They were almost ready for their trip to Highstones.

Runningstar didn't feel like traveling to Highstones when tensions were so high, though. They would never know when ThunderClan could receive an ambush from ShadowClan or WindClan.

"Aren't they? I'm so proud," The brown tabby whispered. "They'll grow up to be strong, loyal warriors." She looked over at Deerstripe, who was licking her newly born kits dry. "Have you seen Deerstripe's kits yet?" She asked. "They're very nice."

Runningstar felt his stomach lurch. He wasn't sure that he was ready to see the kits of not only Deerstripe, but of her mate, Mudpelt. But he resisted the urge to back away and nodded. "I'd love to," He lied.

Cloverleaf pushed him over to the tabby and white she-cat. There were two kits laying beside her: A golden brown one and a dark brown one. Runningstar shivered as he recognized Mudpelt's dark pelt reflected in the one kit.

"Congratulations," Choked Runningstar.

"Thank you," Deerstripe mewed. "I just…I hope that they're accepted for who they are, not who their father was. Especially Thornkit," She went on, lowering her voice. "He looks so much like his father….I can't bear to think about his future."

Runningstar felt his shoulders go rigid. He tried not to let Deerstripe notice. "I'm sure that they'll grow up to be loyal, strong warriors, just like you." He nuzzled her on the flank encouragingly.

At a call from Starfur, Runningstar gave Cloverleaf a lick on the ear and ran off, attending to his deputy. "What is it, Starfur?" He asked. The black tom was sitting outside the juniper bush that was the apprentice's den, and a worried look was etched across is face.

"It's Frenzypaw. She's gone missing! I fear that she has teamed up with ShadowClan…" His voice trailed off and he shook his head.

Runningstar felt a twinge of fear for the young she-cat. StarClan knew if Starfur was right and Frenzypaw really had went to be in ShadowClan. "Don't worry, I doubt that Frenzypaw has joined up with ShadowClan. She must be out hunting or something. But either way, I'll lead a search patrol for her."

Starfur dipped his head. "Thank you, Runningstar. Who should go?"

"Me, you, Chasewind, and Trailclaw. Sound good?"

The deputy nodded. "I'll fetch them now," He replied, racing to the warriors den.

Runningstar stifled a sigh, hoping with all his heart that Frenzypaw wasn't in any trouble. ThunderClan couldn't afford any more casualties.

Starfur had come back with the cats he had ordered. "Ready to leave?" He asked.

"Yes," Runningstar mewed. "Let's go."

--

The search patrol had hardly gotten far when Runningstar had began to feel downtrodden. Frenzypaw was really missing- this could turn out to be a problem. If she had wandered into RiverClan territory, the other Clan would never forgive them for intruders.

"Any more scents?" Asked Runningstar. The group had picked up a scent trail not far outside of camp, but had lost it when rain had started to fall.

Starfur shook his head, scattering raindrops. "No," he replied through the booming thunder. "No scents."

Runningstar stifled a sigh. Would they ever find the young she-cat? What if she was gone forever? He told himself to stop thinking negative thoughts. Frenzypaw couldn't be far now.

Suddenly, Chasewind's ears perked up. "I think I caught her scent!" He exclaimed.

"Where is it?" Demanded Runningstar.

Chasewind pointed with his tail towards RiverClan territory. "She's over there," He muttered grimly.

Runningstar gulped. If she was in RiverClan territory, Frenzypaw was either having an affair with a RiverClan tom or being ripped apart by a RiverClan patrol. He put his nose close to the ground and caught the scent too.

"It goes over by the Twoleg bridge," He mewed suspiciously. The others looked at him nervously, but Runningstar went on. "Follow me," He called to them.

Soon, the sounds of yowling cats came to Runningstar's ears. His heart shot up his throat. Something horrible was happening.

He soon found out where the screams and yowls were coming from. Right there, battling with three other ShadowClan cats, was Frenzypaw. Her flanks were heaving with exhaustion, and her usually sleek tortoiseshell fur was stained and matted with blood.

One of the ShadowClan warriors lashed out at her nose, slicing it open. Frenzypaw cried out with pain and bit down on the tom's leg.

The ShadowClan tom snapped at the she-cat, but when she wouldn't let go, he flung her off his leg, to send her careening over the gorge.

Runningstar gasped in horror. The ShadowClan cats had killed Frenzypaw! But hope came back to him as he saw the calico she-cat heave her front paws up at the top cliff. It looked like it took all her strength. Runningstar wanted to yowl for joy, but held himself back with great difficulty.

Suddenly, one of the three ShadowClan cats stepped forward. Runningstar's eyes flew open. The cat that was padding calmly over to Frenzypaw was none other than Mudpelt.

He looked down at the she-cat. "So brave," He mewed simply. "Too bad you met your fate so early."

"Traitor!" Spat Frenzypaw, struggling to get a clawgrip on the straggly bracken. "Once I get up there I'll flay you to pieces, you piece of fox-dung!"

Mudpelt came face to face with Frenzypaw, bending down to look right into her eyes with his piercing amber glare.

"I'm not afraid of you, badger-breath!" Yowled Frenzypaw. "You'll pay for what you're doing! You'll-" But her cry was cut off and replaced with screams as Mudpelt unsheathed his claws and whipped them skyward, slicing at Frenzypaw's throat and sending her careening over the edge of the gorge to the river below.

The other two ShadowClan warrior bent down to watch the she-cat falling. "Do you think she'll survive?" Asked one of them, looking up at Mudpelt.

The dark brown tom scowled. "No cat could survive that," He replied. The evil cat said no more and spun around, running back for his own territory.

"Frenzypaw!" Hissed Trailclaw desperately. He raced for the cliff edge, looking down for signs of the murdered apprentice.

"She's gone," Chasewind murmured miserably. "Mudpelt was there! That reeking pile of fox-dung! He was the one that killed Frenzypaw!"

"But why did he do it?" Asked Starfur.

"It was a warning," Finished Runningstar. "Hurricanestar must have sent the three warriors to go out and look for any straying ThunderClan warriors to kill as a warning of what we're dealing with."

"What?" Spat Chasewind. "What kind of mouse-brained idea…" His voice trailed off when he got a glare from Trailclaw. "I guess that you _do_ have a point…"

"Chasewind's right," Starfur pointed out. "Hurricanestar wanted to kill a cat of ours so that we would be frightened and want to surrender."

"Hurricanestar won't be happy, though," Trailclaw mentioned in a low voice. "When he hears about how Mudpelt killed Frenzypaw on another Clan's territory where no cat would find her."

Runningstar said nothing and nodded. "You all are right. Come, let's go home now."

Chasewind stayed where he was. "Aren't we going to find Frenzypaw?" He mewed. "What if she's still alive down there?"

"Mudpelt was right," Runningstar sighed. "No cat could survive a fall from the gorge."

Starfur and Trailclaw let out a low mumble of agreement and set off after Runningstar. But Chasewind was still standing over the gorge, mourning for the she-cat that was one of his only friends.

--

"WHAT?" Hurricanestar yowled. He was outraged when he found out that Mudpelt had sent the ThunderClan cat hurling over the gorge instead of killing her where ThunderClan cats could see her blood flowing out of her dead body. But no dead body wouldn't strike fear in Clan cat's hearts.

"I'm sorry, Hurricanestar, but there was no other way," Stammered Mudpelt. "The she-cat was too far out of territory, and, well, we battled for a long time…I had forgotten all about your orders when I killed her."

"Well then DON'T FORGET THEM NEXT TIME!" Screamed Hurricanestar. Mudpelt nodded rapidly and slipped out of the leader's den, as far away as he could from Hurricanestar.

Hurricanestar spent a few moments mumbling in anger over Mudpelt's mistake, then thought about the oncoming battle. How many warriors should he send? All of them. He didn't want to come unprepared when his Clan was about to rip ThunderClan apart.

"Mudpelt!" He yowled after the brown tom. The shaky deputy turned around nervously. "Order extra patrols around the border and more battle training to the apprentices. They can learn more silly hunting skills later."

"Yes, s-sir," Mudpelt called, shakily turning away to order the other cats around.

_Yes_, thought Hurricanestar, Ev_erything's going according to plan. And when the time comes, I won't be afraid to rip Runningstar into tiny pieces to feed to the crows!_

**Uh oh! Hurricanestar is really mad now! DUN DUN DUUUNN! Read on! Oh, and uh...review! I'll give u a "Scared Mudpelt" plushie. Come on, this is a once in a lifetime chance to actually get to see Mudpelt SCARED! And he'll make a nice accomadation to your bookshelf...if he fits, that is /**


	16. Chapter 16

**Uh-oh! Another chapter! Come on, u HAVE to read this! I'm starting to update way faster now! Come on, please? Review more! **

"Frenzypaw was a great, beautiful, and honor-worthy apprentice. We will miss her dearly and hope that her spirit will arrive to StarClan," Runningstar mewed gravely from under the Highrock. All the other cats of ThunderClan were gathered around him, sniffling and mourning for their lost friend. Even Newtfrost's kits, the eldest in the nursery, were sitting beside their mother, sobbing and huddling into Newtfrost's soft, warm fur.

"I think we all agree that Frenzypaw should be given her warrior name," Runningstar rasped. He saw the many cats in front of him nod in agreement.

Each word, every syllable of his speech was piercing his heart like thorns. He felt so horrible that Frenzypaw, of all the cats in his Clan, had to be the one submitted to such torture. And it was all his fault, for telling everyone at the Gathering about the plague of rats and what Hurricanestar did.

"I say these words before the spirit of Frenzypaw, so that she may hear and approve her new name," Runningstar said, his voice becoming stronger with each word of the ceremony. "She was a lover of the warrior code, a great hunter, and had a soft heart. I commend them to you, StarClan, in her turn. Frenzypaw will no longer carry her apprentice name. From now on, her name is Frenzytail. StarClan honors what she did for her Clan."

"Frenzytail! Frenzytail!" The Clan called miserably as they would for any other new warrior.

Runningstar dipped his head to the she-cat and stepped down from the tree stump tree stump, ready to talk to Skycloud about his departed apprentice.

Skycloud looked horribly depressed, almost the saddest of all, as he stood with his head hung. Runningstar pressed his flank to his friend's for support.

"I'm sorry you lost your apprentice, Skycloud," Runningstar mewed.

Skycloud sighed. "She was a perky little she-cat, ready to learn. She loved the forest and everything around her…she was so lively…I'll miss her so. I wish that I could get to know her better, so that she could walk up to me and not see me as her mentor, but a friend, too."

Runningstar felt sadness ripple through him. Had Skycloud loved Frenzypaw? It couldn't have been possible, could it? Skycloud was so much older than her…then again, not much. He saved her from being kidnapped from Hurricanestar when he was just a young warrior of about eight moons.

Runningstar nuzzled his friend's mottled pelt. "I'll miss her too," He mewed. "I was eager to see how she would get along as an apprentice and a warrior, also."

Skycloud looked down at his paws with his dull blue eyes and said nothing.

Runningstar suddenly felt hope start to pull the strands of sadness away from his heart. "Hey, I have an idea," He mewed lightly to Skycloud. "I think that Newtfrost's kits are about ready to join the apprentices den. Would you like Rosekit or Rockkit for your new apprentice?"

Skycloud whipped around, fury burning in his eyes. "You think I'd want to replace her!" He hissed. "You think that I'd like to have another cat like her so I could get over it!" He whipped his tail and turned for the nursery. "Well think again!" He snapped. And with that, he raced away after Newtfrost to the nursery.

Runningstar sighed. Skycloud was going through so much. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to say what he had said in the first place. He dearly didn't want this issue with Frenzypaw to get in the way of their friendship.

Pushing it to the back of his mind, Runningstar started to talk to Starfur, who was approaching him.

"Er, Runningstar," He mumbled. "Would you like to cancel the patrols?"

Runningstar shook his head, his dull eyes looking elsewhere. "No, Starfur, it's fine," He murmured. "Just lead the dawn patrol. Take Trailclaw, Owlclaw, Rainpaw, and Featherpaw. Those two she-cats are going to be mourning the most for their sister."

Starfur perked up at the sound of his mate, and nodded. "Alright, I'll take them. I'm sorry, Runningstar. This must be a lot of stress on you."

Runningstar stifled a sigh, ignoring the fact that the quarter moon that Hurricanestar had given him was almost over. "It's not a problem. Nothing a leader like me can do."

Starfur let out a murmur of sympathy and turned around to gather the cats for his patrol.

Suddenly, Runningstar realized what he had just done. "Wait!" He called desperately. The black tom turned around to face Runningstar. "Come here."

Starfur padded over to where Runningstar stood. "What is it, Runningstar?" He asked.

The light brown tom sighed. "I've been thinking, and…" He struggled to grasp the right words to tell his deputy. "Hurricanestar wanted us to meet him at Fourtrees four sunrises ago. That means we only have three days to prepare ourselves to fight."

Starfur stiffened. Had Runningstar made him angry or annoyed? Hurricanestar _had_ been the one that killed his mother. But the black tom's shoulders flattened out and he nodded in agreement. "I agree," He sighed finally. "If we want to drive Hurricanestar out of the forest forever, then we must start to train ourselves. But how will just ThunderClan be enough to fight Hurricanestar?"

Runningstar sighed. "I don't know," He murmured, flattening his ears in defeat. "I don't know."

**Poor Runningstar, all defeated and what not. I'll give u a Starfur plushie if u review! YES! And if u start to review more, u can get an action figure set! -waves box of action figures in front of face- i know u want them!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I hope u like this chappie! I've been working harder on this story! / i miss all my reviewers! PLZ COME BACK!!**

"Alright, the first essential thing you need to know to fighting is a paw strike," Runningstar mewed to the three bouncy kits in front of him. "Rockkit, listen to me. You need to know this if camp is attacked."

The day after Frenzykit's death, the training to fight had started. Starfur and Chasewind were in charge of the moves the apprentices had yet to learn, and Owlclaw and Oakpelt were teaching the elders.

Runningstar still didn't know how ThunderClan, with so little warriors, would defeat Hurricanestar, trained or not. Perhaps this was the entire reason why Hurricanestar had put the rats in their territory- that way when he attacked, all of ThunderClan would be weakened by sickness. Well, his plan had failed. ThunderClan still lived on! And so did the other Clans, for that matter.

The other Clans! Runningstar suddenly felt an idea come up. Perhaps the other two Clans could help ThunderClan out in fighting Hurricanestar!

Placing Summerheart, who was gentler with kits than he was, in his place, Runningstar hurried over to where Starfur was helping the apprentices.

"Starfur!" He huffed. "I need to talk to you!"

The black tom turned around from where he was talking to Rainpaw about team fighting. "What is it?" He asked.

Runningstar struggled to get his breath back before speaking. Then he said, "I got an idea. ThunderClan alone _can't_ defeat Hurricanestar."

A look of failure and gloom swept over Starfur's face. "What! We're doomed!" He yowled shrilly.

"No, there's another way," Runningstar replied, silencing Starfur's screams. He shifted a little, hoping his own deputy would approve of his idea. "We will go to WindClan and RiverClan and ask them to help us fight ShadowClan!"

"That's outrageous!" Chasewind spoke up, turning away from Lavenderpaw. "WindClan wouldn't help us defeat ShadowClan for our territory!"

Runningstar sighed, resting his tail on the young warrior's shoulders. "You're right," He murmured. "And now I wonder if WindClan are teaming up with ShadowClan in this fight."

"It makes sense," Starfur pointed out. "Gorsestar has some kind of evil alliance with Hurricanestar. He would go into battle with ShadowClan for a couple of mousetails."

"Then that means…" Runningstar's breath trailed off, but Starfur picked up the sentence.

"Then that means that we must team up with RiverClan in order to defeat the evil in this forest," Starfur spoke up.

Runningstar had chosen three of his closest warriors to come with him on this journey: Skycloud, Starfur, and Trailclaw. They all padded behind him somberly, as if thinking that RiverClan would never join them.

As they approached Sunningrocks, Runningstar remembered what had happened there. A few seasons ago, Cinderhope had been lured over to the river by Mudpelt where he would be drowned to death. It was then that Runningstar, called Runningshadow back then, would be made deputy. It was also where he had almost had an affair with Cinnamonpaw. Any cat there would say that she was trying to kill him, but Runningshadow had known that the spot of Cinnamonpaw's blood had Mudclaw's scent on it. He felt a sudden pang in his heart for the two warriors that he dearly missed, but he told himself to stop worrying about the past and focus on the present.

"Wow," Breathed Starfur. Runningstar followed his gaze and noticed what all the awe was about. The river was frozen over, gleaming with the light of the sunshine.

"I guess we can cross over right here," Trailclaw murmured.

But something about the ice was ominous to Runningstar. "No," He growled. "We'll cross by the stepping stones. We can't be sure that the ice is strong enough to hold our weight."

"I'm sure that it'll be fine!" Trailclaw mewed arrogantly, trotting forward to the frosty riverbank.

Runningstar felt instant fear rise up in his heart. "Trailclaw, no!" He cried.

The brown tabby was carefully pressing his paws against the seemingly hard surface. But just as Runningstar rushed forward, the young tom fell through the ice with a blood-curdling scream.

**Noooo! Trailclaw! What'll happen? Review and u'll earn urself a... hmm...oh! Thornkit plushie! YAY!! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Now u find out what happens to Trailclaw! Will he live? This story is pretty much coming to a close. There will be about 25 chapters or so in the entire story. I'll try to add the next chapter as soon as possible, and finish this story up by the end of the week.**

"Oh no!" Gasped Skycloud as a loud crunch was heard and Trailclaw was sent tumbling into the icy waters.

Runningstar felt panic well up in his heart. Trailclaw was one of his best warriors- he didn't want him to die already!

The light brown tom bunched his muscles to jump in after the young warrior.

"Oh no you don't!" Cried Starfur from the riverbank. "You're not going in after him! You could die too!"

Runningstar felt a chill down his spine as he heard Starfur speak. _You could die too_. Did that mean that Starfur thought that Trailclaw was going to die?

"Trailclaw is not going to die!" Runningstar said out loud. "Not if I save him. I've nine lives, and Trailclaw has but one. I can risk losing one of mine for his."

Skycloud glared at him. "You're being very brave, Runningstar, but it's clouding your judgement. Don't go after him." Skycloud growled. "It's too dangerous."

But before Runningstar could say anything else, a loud splash was heard. Runningstar panicked. Could it be one of his other warriors?

He whipped around to see which cat had fallen through as well, but all of his warriors were on shore. He saw a little dark head bobbing above the surface, struggling to paddle in the water.

"Who is that?" Asked Starfur, his voice raising above all the splashing.

"I don't know," Runningstar mewed. "But I think we'll find out in a moment."

Runningstar's words were cut off as the cat pushed itself to the surface, it's sodden flanks heaving. It was carrying a big, dripping bundle of fur that was Trailclaw.

Runningstar found himself shocked. It was Otterstar! Why was she here at this time?

His other warriors were surprised too. Starfur and Skycloud quickly unsheathed their claws, poising to fight and bunching their muscles.

"What are you doing on this side of the ThunderClan territory?" Hissed Starfur.

"Put your claws away," Growled Otterstar, scattering drops of water as she shook herself. "Don't you see that I saved your foolish little apprentice for you?"

"I'm n-not an ap-apprentice," Shivered Trailclaw.

Runningstar stepped forward. "Otterstar is right," He mewed to his warriors. "She has saved Trailclaw. We must be thankful to her."

The two warriors cringed away with embarrassment, but managed to turn to the dark brown she-cat and mutter, "sorry" and "thanks" to her.

Obviously unsatisfied with the toms' ungrateful remarks, Otterstar raised her head. "Never mind that. Runningstar, why were you on my territory?" She asked.

He kneaded his paws. "I- I just was coming to your camp to ask you something…"

The RiverClan she-cat tipped her head. "What is it?" She asked. "Tell me here so we can decide on its importance."

Runningstar took a deep breath. Would Otterstar comply with what he had to say? Surely she would agree since her Clan had been suffering as bad as his.

Choosing his words carefully, Runningstar started to talk. "Hurricanestar has become a constant threat, not just for ThunderClan, but for the other three Clans, too. I have reflected on what has been happening. Our cats have been captured, attacked, killed, and dying from sickness, and I'm sure that RiverClan have been going through hard times too."

Otterstar refused to say anything.

Runningstar cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say is that Hurricanestar is a threat to both of us. ThunderClan has to fight ShadowClan in two days. I request that you will help us in defeating ShadowClan and killing Hurricanestar."

All was silent. The only thing that could be heard was a jay's shrill call high in the trees. Finally, after what seemed like eons, Otterstar let out a long sigh.

She spoke. "Runningstar, please don't take this as an insult. But I honestly don't think that fighting Hurricanestar is RiverClan's problem. Hurricanestar proposed that he and ShadowClan would meet you and ThunderClan at the next half moon, which is in two days. This is not our fight. I'm sorry, Runningstar."

At first, Runningstar couldn't believe what the RiverClan leader had said. It wasn't RiverClan's problem? "D-don't you want to be rid of him?" Pleaded Runningstar. "That way there will be no more trouble in the forest."

"I've lived for twelve seasons," Otterstar mewed plainly. "And I know that there is always trouble in the forest. But it isn't always the responsibility of one Clan as much as it is of the other. Again, I'm dearly sorry, but I can't help you, Runningstar."

And with that, the dark brown she-cat turned around and stalked back across the river with her tail high in the air.

Trailclaw looked up from licking himself. "Great," He shivered. "Now what? RiverClan won't help us! WindClan got brainwashed by Gorsestar so they won't help us! Are we doomed to be killed in this battle?"

Runningstar sighed. "I don't know," He mewed. "I just don't know." He turned around towards his own territory and gestured for the rest of his patrol to follow.

Runningstar returned to the clearing with a heavy heart. The disappointed look on so many cats' faces didn't contribute when he held a meeting to tell them.

"What are we going to do now?" Starfur asked Runningstar fearfully the next morning. "We only have until next sunrise to train our warriors to be able to defeat Hurricanestar."

Runningstar didn't say anything. He felt dizzy with fear and didn't want to talk. "We'll have to play it by ear," Runningstar mewed for the fifth time that day. "I can't do everything, Starfur."

The black tom backed away, fearing for his leader, and pressed close to Owlclaw, who was standing nearby, for comfort.

Suddenly, a ginger shape approached him. Runningstar recognized Weavepaw's scent as she squeezed into the hollow apple tree.

"Weavepaw?" He asked. "What do you want?"

Weavepaw kneaded her paws nervously as she spoke. "Er, Runningstar, I need to talk to you about something."

Runningstar sat up to listen to the medicine cat. "What is it, Weavepaw?" He repeated.

Weavepaw took a deep breath. "Runningstar, the half moon is tomorrow, and that was supposed to be the day when I got named as a medicine cat by StarClan. But I do _not_ want to go on a day when there shall be so much turmoil. Would it be possible for you to escort me to Fourtrees tonight?"

Runningstar said nothing and dully looked into Weavepaw's ice blue eyes. "I think that you have a point. However, I don't want to escort you to Fourtrees." Weavepaw formed a worried look on her face. "I would like to come with you, if that is okay," Runningstar mewed.

Weavepaw nodded enthusiastically. "That would be wonderful, Runningstar," She sighed with relief. It seemed that she was worried about going to the Moonstone by herself.

"Well, I don't want you to get eaten by a WindClan patrol," Runningstar growled. "We shall leave tonight. Thank you, Weavepaw," He called after her as she padded out of the den.

"No," Mewed Weavepaw behind her shoulder. "Thank _you_."

**Let's hope this journey isn't dangerous -hint hint- Review and I'll give u a Weavepaw plushie if u don't already have one! If u do, then I'll make it a Weavepaw at the Moonstone plushie! Sounds tempting, huh? **


	19. Chapter 19

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the tree stump for a Clan meeting!" Called Runningstar from a small tree stump not far from his den.

Cats peeked out of their dens, curious as to what was happening at sunset. Runningstar heard the ferns rustle, and noticed that the sundown patrol had returned. _Just in time,_ he thought drearily.

After all of the cats had come under the tree stump, Runningstar cleared his throat and started to talk. "Tonight I have decided to go with Weavepaw to receive her rank as a medicine cat at the Moonstone." Worried looks were sewn onto the faces of the cats in front of him. Would they be safe while he was gone?

"I am leaving Chasewind and Starfur in charge of camp," He mewed to the shocked audience. "Please don't be alarmed. And I also want to announce that we shall be doubling patrols and the training sessions to train the apprentices and the warriors. That is all," He mewed, dismissing his Clan.

The meeting disbanded noisily, discussing on whether Weavepaw's training was good enough or not and whether or not this battle would turn out to be successful.

Runningstar sighed with sadness. Some of these cats he may never see again after this battle. And it would be all his fault, for blurting at the Gathering. But he had to make the other Clans aware of what a threat Hurricanestar was to them, especially WindClan. They didn't know who they were dealing with.

He felt a warm pelt press to his and saw that Cloverleaf was sitting beside him. "How are you?" She asked, looking up into his blue eyes.

Runningstar let his eyes settle on Cloverleaf's face, her beautiful green eyes after this distressful situation like cool rain after a wildfire.

"Not good," Runningstar mewed worriedly. "There's so much to do…I just feel like the Clan is putting it all on me. I wish that Ashstar hadn't died so that she could do this. At least she'd do better at handling it."

Cloverleaf flicked her tail. "Ashstar was a good leader, but I think that no other cat could handle this better than you are right now, Runningstar. You don't have enough confidence in yourself, and that's why you are so tense." She lay her tail on his shoulders. "Everything will be fine soon."

Runningstar shrugged. "I hope so," He murmured. "How are the kits?" He asked, bringing up another subject.

Cloverleaf let out a small purr. "They're walking already," She laughed. "They look so cute. Little Soarkit has your eyes and your confident face…" She stared into his face passionately and twined her tail with his. "I love you, Runningstar," She murmured.

"I love you too," Runningstar mewed back, rubbing his cheek against hers.

Runningstar was jolted out of his moment with his mate when he heard his name being called. "What is it?" He groaned.

It was Weavepaw. "Sorry Runningstar, but I want to make sure we get to the Moonstone by nightfall," She whispered.

The light brown tom nodded and gave Cloverleaf a small lick. "I'll see you tomorrow," He mewed lovingly. "Watch over the kits for me."

Cloverleaf flicked his ear with her tail and set off for the nursery to feed her crying kits.

Runningstar padded to Weavepaw's side. "Ready to go?" He asked nervously.

Weavepaw was shaking with fear and excitement at the same time. "Ready as I'll ever be," She mewed softly. "Lead the way."

Runningstar nodded and started to head out the thorn tunnel. Cats that were training in the middle of the clearing mewed goodbye to him, and Starfur and Chasewind came up to him to wish him good hunting on the journey. Somehow it made Runningstar a bit more cheerful.

He led Weavepaw through the forest, the snow crunching under their paws and making them sodden and chilled. Runningstar shivered with the cold, but knew that they had to get to the Moonstone in time, so he kept going faster.

They stopped at the Owl Tree to hunt a little. Runningstar praised Weavepaw for her excellent stalking when she caught a robin, and Runningstar himself caught a rabbit for them both to share.

Soon after eating, the two set off for Fourtrees. The entire way neither of them talked, making the tension grow more and more over the hours.

When they got to Fourtrees, it was nearly sundown. "Should we stop to rest?" Asked Weavepaw.

"We'd best keep going," Runningstar replied. "If we're going to get there by dark, we'll have to hurry."

The two rushed out of the clearing and onto WindClan territory. "Are you sure they don't mind us being here?" Asked Weavepaw nervously. "Gorsestar may not allow us here."

"We just have to be on the lookout for any patrols," Runningstar explained. "If we do find one, hide. If that doesn't work, we'll just tell them why we're on their territory and they'll let us go."

"Are you sure?" Asked Weavepaw. "Gorsestar may have told them to be more hostile around ThunderClan cats."

"Let's just hurry through while we can," Runningstar mumbled, pushing ahead across the open moorland.

The cold wind started tugging at their pelts like fierce claws. "How do WindClan stand this?" Hissed Weavepaw. "They must lose their fur after living here a while!"

Runningstar dipped his head in agreement. The frigid wind didn't help the fact that the glittering fallen snow was melting on their thick winter coats.

As they made their way across WindClan territory, they found no trouble with patrols. There was only one around that they could easily curb around without being seen or scented.

"I'm surprised that Gorsestar doesn't have more patrols out," Weavepaw mewed in awe.

Runningstar could think of a couple of reasons why Gorsestar wouldn't send out as many patrols. Perhaps he was preparing his Clan to fight ThunderClan with Hurricanestar.

"L-let's go on," Suggested Runningstar. "We don't need to stop to scent WindClan."

Weavepaw blushed. "Sorry," She mewed. The ginger she-cat continued after Runningstar.

Hours passed. Runningstar and Weavepaw traveled over WindClan's territory for so long. Runningstar felt so tired that his paws might drop off, but he didn't want to stop. The faster they got to Mothermouth, the faster that Weavepaw would earn her medicine cat name, which meant the faster they could return to ThunderClan and fight against Hurricanestar and his Clan.

"Can we please find somewhere to stop?" Whined Weavepaw. "It's been forever since we left."

"We must keep going," Growled Runningstar. "We must get to the Moonstone before the sun rises again."

And so they went on, climbing up grassy hills and trekking across the plains, until they reached a long stretching black river. The Thunderpath.

"Um, okay," Mewed Weavepaw nervously. "Are you going to go first, Runningstar?" She asked, looking up at him fearfully.

"I probably should," He huffed. "But I think I'd like you to come with me. I don't want you to get hurt by a Twoleg monster."

Runningstar shivered when he remembered the night he was on his way to his leader ceremony at the Moonstone. He was running across the Thunderpath to get to the other side where Mossflower waited for him, but he almost had gotten run over by a long, snake-like Twoleg monster. He couldn't stand to think of Weavepaw getting hit by one of those.

Runningstar gently put a paw out in front of him onto the black path. Usually on a hot day, it would feel sticky and make it harder to cross. Now that it was evening, no cats would find it difficult to cross.

He felt a rumble and ducked back as a monster sped by, throwing out choking black smoke behind it. Runningstar let out a small cough at the disgusting fumes.

He looked in both directions. It was okay to cross. The light brown tom swiftly gestured to Weavepaw to follow, then streaked across the Thunderpath. Fear stabbed him every second his paws touched the raw, unnatural path beneath him. It kept telling him to turn back, to free himself from the growing suspense. But he kept going on, only slowing down to make sure that Weavepaw was behind him.

Runningstar finally reached the greasy grass on the other side, only to find that the ginger she-cat wasn't behind him. Where was Weavepaw?

He found her shaking out in the middle of the Thunderpath, as a huge, block-shaped monster came zooming towards her. Runningstar shoved away the part of him that told him to stay safe and sped out for the tiny medicine cat apprentice.

Just as the monster was about to tread on Weavepaw's paws, Runningstar reached out, grasped her scruff as hard as he could, and hurled her across the Thunderpath. He clenched his teeth as the monster went over him. But nothing happened.

He had been lucky enough to be right under the thing, where its huge black paws couldn't touch him. Runningstar sighed with relief and streaked across the Thunderpath as fast as he could, with all his might.

"Thank you so much, Runningstar," Weavepaw mewed, astounded. "That monster almost killed me! They're even scarier than my mother told me!" She shuddered at the thought.

Runningstar sighed. He had rescued Weavepaw from the Thunderpath. But they had to keep moving if they were going to save ThunderClan in time. "Let's keep moving," Was his only reply to Weavepaw's constant gratitude.

**Plz tell me how this story is going!I don't feel like I'm doing a very good job. Review and recieve a...i dunno,a plushie of choice! Yes, tell me which one u want! **


	20. Chapter 20

The ground started to get steeper and rockier as the two cats went up the hills to Mothermouth. Runningstar's paws were pounding with pain, but he tried to ignore it as he plodded after Weavepaw, who was eagerly trotting in front of him.

They reached Mothermouth at dark. Weavepaw sighed in relief. "We're finally there!" She cried. "Thank StarClan we made it!"

Runningstar agreed, and sent a small prayer of thanks up to StarClan for helping them make it to the mountains.

"Well…are we going to go yet?" Asked Weavepaw after a few moments.

Runningstar shook his head. "I think we should hunt and rest a little while first."

He could hear Weavepaw let out a little sigh of relief as she settled down on a large rock, her ears flattened to her head. Runningstar wondered what was going through her head right now. Was she nervous that she was about to be a medicine cat? Did she miss Mossflower? Was she scared of her ceremony?

Deciding to leave her alone, Runningstar headed off to start hunting. The cracks in the rocks made perfect hiding places for mice, so they were hard to find.

Runningstar opened his mouth to drink in the air and all of its scents. He stopped and let out his breath as he started to smell rabbit on the breeze. It slowly appeared into view, nibbling on some sagebrush.

Runningstar dropped into the hunting crouch, padding forward slowly. Just as he was about to jump out and take it, he heard a loud wail from far away. He suddenly thought of Weavepaw. Had ShadowClan or WindClan patrols decided to attack her?

He let the rabbit go and hurried for the top of the rocks, dizzying fear filling up his thoughts like rain in a fallen leaf. He tried not to think of the mauled body of Weavepaw laying where he had left her.

When he reached the rocky outcrop, he saw a ginger cat frozen there, staring at nothing, her eyes as wide as full moons. It was Weavepaw, to Runningstar's relief. But what was she staring at?

He rushed up to where she sat, following her gaze. But there was nothing there. How could that be? What had she seen that could be so frightening?

He dared to speak to her. "Weavepaw, what's wrong?" He asked. There was no answer from her, she just kept staring in front of herself. Runningstar felt a pang of worry start to surround him. Was she okay?

Finally, Weavepaw spoke. "I- I saw a vision," She whispered, her voice shaking. "It was horrifying. There were so many dying, bloody cats, lying out in front of me…and there was Mossflower, staring up at me like it was all my fault…"

Runningstar's eyes widened. He knew what this meant. "We must return to camp," He hissed. "Come on!"

Weavepaw looked up at him, worried. "But what about my ceremony?" She hissed back at him. "ThunderClan needs a medicine cat in times like this!"

Runningstar kept running, focusing on nothing but getting back to camp. "The Clan is in danger!" He argued. "We have to leave! You can receive your medicine cat name next time!"

Weavepaw looked disgusted with him, but followed him. She actually believed him! Perhaps he wasn't a bad leader after all…

Hunger tugged at Runningstar's stomach. The warm smell of prey filled his mouth, teasing at him, but he couldn't stop. He had to get back to ThunderClan. They were in terrible danger.

The only place he stopped was at the Thunderpath, where the two rested and carefully crossed back over to their own territory.

"What made you decide that our Clan was in danger again?" Hissed Weavepaw as they ran. "I just had a sign!"

"But your sign was saying something," Runningstar replied. "Mossflower was there, standing among bodies of cats…those must have been ThunderClan's cats, beaten down by ShadowClan! And they were beaten because _I wasn't there_!"

Weavepaw's eyes widened. "Oh," She mewed in astonishment. "So that's why Mossflower was looking at me angrily."

"Exactly," Runningstar huffed. "Now come on, we must keep going!"

When the two finally reached the top slope that led down to camp, the first thing Runningstar could sense was blood. It felt like acid in his nose. He screwed up his face.

"Oh no," Weavepaw whispered. She plunged forward into camp.

"Weavepaw, wait!" Cried Runningstar. He didn't want her to get into any more trouble. But to his dismay, the she-cat kept going.

She slid past the thorn barriers through the secret entrance into camp. Runningstar followed, hoping that Hurricanestar wouldn't be waiting for him there.

The tang of blood got stronger and stronger as he ventured farther into camp. No cats were in sight. The dens looked ransacked.

Suddenly, Runningstar tripped over something. He looked down slowly, feeling his stomach twist.

It was Skycloud. He was dead, his throat ripped out. "Skycloud!" Screamed Runningstar. "No!"

"Skycloud?" Weavepaw came rushing down from where she was searching here den. "Oh no," She murmured as she came upon the dead body.

"Hurricanestar came here," He hissed. "He knew that you were going to get your name. And, apparently, he knew where our new camp was. But…how?"

Weavepaw gulped hard, her blue eyes dull with worry. "Perhaps he had an insider," She whispered.

Cold resignation flowed through Runningstar. His Clan was gone, his best friend was gone, his camp, gone. Hurricanestar had gone way too far and destroyed ThunderClan. Forever.

Suddenly, he heard a small tremble in the ferns. Runningstar's fur bristled as he whipped around to face the danger. "Who's that?" He hissed.

Two small cats came into view. They were Trailclaw and Rainpaw. Runningstar let out a sigh of relief that it wasn't a ShadowClan patrol, ready to attack them.

"Wh-what happened to you?" Asked Weavepaw, bounding up to them. She had a right to be concerned- Trailclaw's fur was matted with blood and mud, and had long scars running down his face and flank. Rainpaw's beautiful black-speckled gray coat was now ruffled to a point of exhaustion, and her left ear was shredded.

"And what happened here?" Runningstar growled, coming up to his former apprentice.

Trailclaw sighed, lowering his head. "Hurricanestar," He growled. "He came through our camp while you were gone."

"Just as I thought!" Hissed Runningstar. "Are you both okay? Let Weavepaw check over you."

"Where's the rest of the Clan?" Asked Weavepaw as she nudged Rainpaw's body for any broken bones.

A shiver went through the gray she-cat's body. "One second we all were sharing tongues, and the next thing we know, Hurricanestar and his…well, army, came plowing through our camp. They knew all the ways through the thorn walls we spent so much time setting up." Rainpaw paused to shiver, but got out of control. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed in exhaustion.

Trailclaw finished his mate's story. "When Hurricanestar arrived, we fought as hard as we could. He threatened to steal our kits if we didn't surrender."

Runningstar felt fury rise up inside him. What was it with Hurricanestar and kits that made him want to steal them?

"We didn't give in. Fortunately, Hurricanestar didn't take our kits, but he took our Clan." Trailclaw lay down in defeat.

Weavepaw gasped sharply. "He killed us all?" She hissed.

"No," Rainpaw mewed. "Not that bad. He left all of us with many injuries, some that would stay there the rest of our lives…" She shuddered. "He said that he'll be waiting for us at Fourtrees, and that if our leader cared about us, then you'd come back for us."

"Then why is everybody gone?" Asked Runningstar.

"They left," Trailclaw replied sadly. "Chasewind and Starfur got so fed up with Hurricanestar that they led all the cats, even the queens, to Fourtrees to defeat Hurricanestar and his army of cats."

Runningstar felt his stomach lurch. Why were Chasewind and Starfur so foolish? They shouldn't go out there with the whole of ThunderClan alone and take on WindClan and ShadowClan! "Trailclaw, come with me," He hissed. "We may be able to catch up to them."

"Well, if they didn't leave very long ago," Weavepaw mewed worriedly.

"They left just moments before you came in," Rainpaw croaked.

Runningstar felt hate for himself flare at his heart like fire. Why hadn't he scented such a strong ThunderClan scent on the way in? He told himself that it was the strong scent of blood that led him astray.

"Come on," Runningstar growled. "We must leave. Now!"

Trailclaw shot up after him, and Rainpaw struggled to her paws too.

Weavepaw put a paw down on Rainpaw's flank. "I know that you want to fight with them, but you must stay here," She told the apprentice gently.

Rainpaw nodded in understanding, but cast a worried look to Trailclaw. "Don't worry," The tabby tom mewed to his mate, giving her a lick on the nose. "I'll be fine. I'll come back with Hurricanestar's head, just for you!"

Rainpaw let out a small purr and said farewell to Trailclaw as he headed out with Runningstar.

"Now, no joking around," Runningstar told the tabby tom as they ran. "This is very serious. The life of ThunderClan itself hangs by a tiny hair. We're the only ones who can stop it."

Trailclaw nodded. "Yes, I know. This is not a time to laugh."

Runningstar was silent for a few moments, and then spoke up. "You really love her, don't you?" He asked. "I can tell she's running through your thoughts."

Trailclaw's ears perked. "Rainpaw, you mean?" When Runningstar nodded, he huffed, "I do love her. Very much. I want to be able to live through this, Runningstar. I don't want to die. For her."

Runningstar understood. He pictured Cloverleaf's face as she stared down at his dead body for the first time. "Keep going," He mewed, pushing that thought out of his head. "I think the scent is getting stronger."

The scent was getting stronger. Runningstar only hoped that he would find what he was looking for. Without the rest of his Clan, he would be shattered to pieces, and Hurricanestar would be able to rip every life from him, piece by little piece.


	21. Chapter 21

**The story is almost over! What will go on between Runningstar and Hurricanestar? Will he find his Clan? What about RiverClan? Find out!!!!**

The scent of Runningstar's Clan was getting stronger and stronger. Surprisingly, it was leading him straight for Sunningrocks. What was ThunderClan doing there? _Hiding_, was Runningstar's first spiteful thought.

When he and Trailclaw burst through the ferns to the clearing, he found that ThunderClan _was_ hiding. It was all as he had seen in his nightmares for the past nights. Them losing.

But, he realized, they were only resting, and sharing tongues once more before they all met their imminent deaths.

He spotted Cloverleaf's tabby pelt and felt his heart begin to rekindle itself. Warmness spread all over him, and he felt like yowling with joy at seeing his mate again.

Cloverleaf turned her head. She must have caught his scent. "R-Runningstar?" She mewed, her green eyes growing wider and wider. "_Runningstar_! It's you! You're _alive_!" She leaped to her paws and ran for her mate, happiest to see him in her life.

Runningstar collapsed into Cloverleaf's fur. For a few heartbeats the two just sat there, murmuring words intelligible to others. Runningstar didn't think he could feel any better right now, just standing here, right beside his mate.

"I'm so glad you came back alive," Cloverleaf whispered. "I was afraid Gorsestar would catch you."

"Same here," Runningstar mewed. "Wait…Gorsestar?"

Cloverleaf nodded solemnly. "Yes. When Hurricanestar invaded our camp, we asked him if you were alive. He said it was up to Gorsestar. I think that that monster set a trap for you."

"He did," Runningstar mewed. "And I fell for it." He hung his head sadly, holding back tears. "Some leader I turned out to be! You should probably just hand the leadership over to Starfur. He'd do a much better job."

Cloverleaf's eyes glimmered with sympathy. "Runningstar," She murmured, burying her muzzle in his fur, "Nobody else could do a better job at being leader than you. Starfur would be just like you, new at the job."

Runningstar's eyes widened. "Starfur!" He cried, snapping from his cloud of happiness. "Where is Starfur? Is he okay?"

Cloverleaf squirmed uncomfortably. "Actually…um…well, he's at the crack in one of the rocks. Go find him there and see."

Runningstar wondered what Cloverleaf meant. Was poor Starfur going through something worse than death itself? He gave Cloverleaf a tender but hurried lick on the nose and frantically started searching for Starfur's scent, or any trace of the crack that Cloverleaf was talking about. Images of death ran through the leader's head.

Suddenly, he came across quite a sight- Starfur was there, sitting by the fracture in the rock- and he was sitting across from Otterstar, a worried and ashamed look on his face. "I shouldn't have let him go," Runningstar could hear him murmur.

Runningstar wondered what this was all about, why Otterstar and the rest of her cats-

Realization hit him. Then surprise. Then relief. Runningstar ran for Starfur as fast as he could, being careful not to knock either of the cats over.

"Runningstar!" Starfur cried. "You lived! I can't believe it!"

Runningstar skidded to a halt beside Starfur. "I can't either," He mewed gruffly. "But I'm glad to be back."

"How did you know?" Asked Starfur.

"Weavepaw received a sign telling us to go back," Runningstar admitted. "It wasn't really me. You have Weavepaw to thank."

Starfur looked down at the ground. "Are you, uh…angry that we're here?" he asked, pawing at the dust.

Runningstar growled. "Well, I have to say I'm not happy with it. But I'm glad that you came to meet Otterstar." He leaned closer to Starfur, whispering in his ear. "What is she saying?" He asked.

"We're forming a deal," Starfur assured Runningstar as he looked at Otterstar ordering her warriors. "She'll fight with us. But she wants just one thing."

Runningstar frowned. "What is that?" He asked, thinking about how Hurricanestar wanted more of their territory.

Trailclaw sighed. "Huh. She wants a little of our prey. She says that the river has been going down in the winter, and the Twolegs have been coming around more often. She needs it to reform her Clan even more than we do."

Runningstar shrugged. "You're right," He mewed in defeat. "Otterstar needs the most support she can right now. At least we have a new camp."

He mewed farewell to Trailclaw and padded cautiously over to the RiverClan leader. She looked gaunt and scrawny, and her ribs stuck out like they were trying to break out of her body.

"Runningstar," Moaned Otterstar. "You finally returned."

"Yes," Runningstar mewed solemnly. "You want some of our prey?"

Otterstar's matted fur bristled. "In return for my help," She hissed. "So, are you up for it?"

Runningstar took a deep breath. "ThunderClan needs all the help it can get. In the beginning, just one Clan was going up against two. I would be delighted if you would help us."

Otterstar dipped her head, her dull amber eyes starting to gleam. "Anything to wipe out that fox-hearted freak, Hurricanestar," She spat.

Runningstar let out small purr of amusement and gratitude. "Thank you so much," He mewed. "ThunderClan shall be in your debt."

"No need," Otterstar mewed simply. "We'll be fine without having to harass another Clan about what we need from them."

Runningstar purred. "So when are we leaving tomorrow?" He asked.

"We need to leave soon," Otterstar mewed grimly. "We can give our warriors a small rest, but remember that Hurricanestar wanted to meet you this morning. Perhaps, maybe, tonight would do?"

"Fine," Runningstar agreed. "At sundown, we'll leave for Fourtrees."

"May StarClan be with you," Otterstar mewed in farewell.

Runningstar nodded to her and trotted back to Sunningrocks where the rest of his Clan was waiting for him, his heart heavy. He was putting so many cats in danger. It was inevitable that cats would die, and it would be all his fault. He wished he hadn't gotten into this dilemma with Hurricanestar in the first place. _But then that pile of dog dung wouldn't be brought to justice! _He tried convince himself.

He curled up beside Cloverleaf, trying to push thoughts of the coming night aside as he slept his cares away beside his mate, the one that would always be with him, no matter what.

Runningstar had trouble waking up since the night sky was dark. The only way that he got up was because he didn't feel Cloverleaf's warm pelt against his. He heard hisses outside the den. His fur bristled. Was ShadowClan attacking already?

He leaped to his paws and rushed outside, the snarls growing louder and louder. There was no blood on the air, but the scent of Cloverleaf was very strong.

Suddenly, he came straight across her tabby pelt, but it wasn't bleeding or covered in scars. She was standing in front of four little kits, both hers and Summerheart's. He purred at his two daughters, testing out their claws on the matted grass.

Suddenly, a loud yowl was heard, real this time, and even Cloverleaf and the kits turned around to see what was going on. Runningstar felt his heart shoot up into his throat.

He could hardly make out the ginger shape in the distance, carrying something big on its shoulder. Another younger cat was trailing behind it. When it got closer, Runningstar made out the scent to be Weavepaw's. But who was the cat she was carrying?

Suddenly, Runningstar felt joy flare up in his heart. It was Skycloud. And he was alive.

"Skycloud!" Cried Runningstar. "Y-you're alive! I can't believe it!"

Weavepaw growled as she came up to him with Rainpaw at her heels. "He isn't doing too well," She murmured, "He has major scratches, and he has a huge wound on his front leg, but otherwise, I think he'll survive."

The only way any cat could tell that the tom was alive was his green eyes, open and glimmering. Runningstar felt like going up to Skycloud and getting into an affectionate play fight, like they always used to do when they were apprentices, but the poor warrior was very hurt. Weavepaw was right- it would take time for him to heal.

"I'm so glad he's alive," Runningstar mewed. "But why did you bring him over if he was this injured? Don't tell me you're going to make him fight?" Runningstar felt his stomach do flips at the thought of his friend hardly standing a chance against the enemy warriors hurling themselves at him in battle.

"I brought him because I knew that there was nothing left," Weavepaw explained. "Runningstar, when you got back and saw your ravaged camp, with Skycloud's bleeding body, you were utterly defeated. Not long after you left, I was going to my den to get herbs for the fight, when I heard Skycloud whimpering and kicking. He was dreaming. Therefore, he was alive. I knew you would have done the same for me, so I asked Skycloud if he was up for the trip."

Runningstar felt dazed. He felt like biting at his paws to make sure that he wasn't dreaming right now. Slowly, the strength was returning to him. He felt good, like he could destroy Hurricanestar with one swipe of the claws.

With Skycloud, Cloverleaf, his kits, Weavepaw, and Trailclaw by his side, Runningstar felt unbeatable against the looming threat.

**Aww, such a warm fuzzy moment!! Plz review and tell me how I did! It would be a big help!**


	22. Chapter 22

Mist shrouded the forest floor. Runningstar found himself padding on dead leaves, hearing the crackle beneath his paws. There was a tang of blood in the air. It was eerily quiet.

He looked around for any sign of where the scent was coming from, but all that was around him was the trees, the shrubbery, and the mist. A cold breeze tugged at his fur. He shivered, not just because of the cold.

Suddenly, cats began to materialize in front of him. He gasped. All of them were dead. This was the sign similar to the one that Weavepaw had received. And now it was coming true.

"No," Whispered Runningstar. "No! This is _not_ happening! StarClan, save me! _Please_!"

But there was no answer, not from StarClan, not from anyone. Runningstar had never felt so alone in his life, not even when Cinderhope or Cinnamonpaw had died. He curled up into himself and sobbed quietly as the world crashed down in front of him.

The light brown tom snapped from sleep. He looked around him. The sun was just hardly peeking below the horizon, the mountains slowly swallowing it. Cloverleaf was sleeping right beside him. He had Soarkit dozing in the crook of his front leg. He loved the way her tiny body rose and fell.

Being careful not to disturb the little she-cat, Runningstar gingerly rose to see how Skycloud was doing. He was still shivering from fear of his most recent dream. Was it just a coincidence that he had dreamed of dead cats, or was StarClan trying to tell him that this battle was all for nothing?

Either way, the dream meant _something_, and Runningstar wanted desperately to know what.

His old friend Skycloud came into view. He was sleeping heavily, his flank scarred severely. Runningstar felt a stroke of agony for his friend's condition, and he licked Skycloud's head in sympathy before he went to talk to Otterstar.

The RiverClan leader was awake too, watching her warriors sleep, her face full of maternal fear for her Clanmates.

"Otterstar," Runningstar called as he approached her.

Otterstar's head swung around slowly, as if she were expecting him. "Runningstar. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. Did you sleep at all?"

Otterstar sighed. "I slept just fine." But Runningstar knew that by the defeated look on her face, the leader of RiverClan hadn't slept as well as she said.

"Are your warriors ready yet?" Asked Runningstar.

"I think so," Otterstar mewed strongly. "They seem to have…lots of confidence."

Runningstar knew that she was picking out her words carefully. He did the same as he replied, "Yes, mine too. I just keep thinking that they'll never be ready for _this_."

The brown she-cat wrinkled her nose. "When I feel that, I just tell myself, 'Hurricanestar is just a cat just as I. He is nothing at all to fear.'"

Runningstar tried telling himself that. It didn't seem to work very well. "Listen, I know I've been doing this enough, but I want to thank you one last time for joining me in this battle."

Otterstar turned to look at him. "It was no problem. Is this not Hurricanestar, the cat that everyone in the forest wants rid of?"

Runningstar nodded in agreement, gratitude still beating at his ribcage. "I'll see you a little later."

Otterstar nodded and let out a long sigh. "Yes," She mewed thoughtfully. "I guess I will."

Runningstar turned away from the she-cat and went back to his Clan's spot nearby. Most of them had awakened, and Runningstar was ready for the important announcement he was going to make.

He hopped onto the smallest rock at Sunningrocks and said, "Let all cats in ThunderClan join here for a meeting of our Clan!" He decided that it was important for young cats to attend, too.

The others looked up curiously, getting up from their comfy position to come over to where Runningstar was standing.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Runningstar mewed, "You all know what is happening tonight. We are meeting Hurricanestar at Fourtrees for a battle. But don't let that scare you," He added upon seeing the frightened stares, "We are a Clan of brave, noble cats. ThunderClan, combined with RiverClan, will be plenty of cats to defeat Hurricanestar. We will fight and be triumphant!"

The cats before him cheered to the stars with confidence. Runningstar was pleased to see them ready for the battle.

"Tonight will not only be a battle to rid the forest of Hurricanestar, but a battle of honor to show the others what ThunderClan has, despite the sickness that Hurricanestar has brought onto us! We will defeat ShadowClan and WindClan, and we will thrive as ThunderClan cats!"

The cheering got louder and louder. "ThunderClan! ThunderClan! ThunderClan!"

Runningstar felt pride dwell in his heart. He had a loyal, willful Clan, willing to put their life in danger for their leader. He was actually trusted in spite of all these deaths.

Everything would be okay. Hurricanestar would be defeated. And ThunderClan would live on, for a new generation to dwell.

**Sorry this chapter was so short! Here, I'll give you another one. Just tell me if you want more chapters, they're all written up now. :) Oh, and plz review! You can get an Otterstar plushie! Sorry if u don't want one, but I don't have any more plushies to give out!!!**


	23. Chapter 23

**That last chapter was really short so I'm giving you another one! There's only three more chapters left! :o**

The night was bitter and cold. A half moon was suspended in the sky, as if the stars had invisible strings keeping it up. The moonshine glittered on the ferns and rocks, bleaching them a pale silvery color.

Suddenly, a single cat pushed his head out of the undergrowth. He opened his mouth to smell for anything dangerous, then signaled for the others to follow.

Cats just kept coming and coming after him, one after another, until there was a considerable amount gathered beneath a birch tree stripped of its bark.

Two cats pushed their way to the front, both a shade of brown. One of them opened his mouth and mewed, "Otterstar and I have made up our minds: We will separate our united Clan into two sectors."

The cats leaned forward to listen carefully which sector they'd be in, if they would be fighting first or following up.

The other cat, Otterstar, spoke up. "The first sector shall be Kestrelclaw, Stonepaw, Lilyfrost, Trailclaw, Starfur, Thundertail, Rainpaw, Chasewind, Owlclaw, Silverpaw, Lavenderpaw, Longwhisker, Bloodflower, and Sandpelt." She turned to the other cat beside her.

Runningstar announced the next sector. "The second sector shall be Oakpelt, Lionfur, Nightpaw, Birchleaf, Mapleheart, Badgerclaw, Tansypaw, Stripewhisker, Catkinheart, Dawnstorm, Honeystorm, Cloverleaf, and Brindlerose."

The cats before them murmured in approval. They had many cats, but it couldn't possibly be enough to defeat the one biggest threat: Hurricanestar.

Runningstar felt his paw pads tingling as he mewed, "I'll lead the first sector, Otterstar the second. Second sector, you'll know when to come when you hear the code, two yowls."

"Excuse me, Runningstar," a light gray RiverClan she-cat spoke up, "But won't there be lots of yowls in the battle?"

"Mapleheart is right," Otterstar growled. "We'll have to think of a different code."

"Listen, we don't have time for that," Runningstar hissed irritably. "We must do this sometime before the sun rises. I will send Lavenderpaw, a black and white she-cat apprentice, to come and scrape down the tree at which you are nearest stationed."

Lavenderpaw gave him a small nod. She was willing to do whatever it took to help them win this battle.

"Are we all ready?" Otterstar mewed.

"I just want to give all of you one message," Runningstar mewed. "All of the cats here, ThunderClan and RiverClan, are some of the best cats I've seen in my lifetime. I want you to know that you are being more loyal than WindClan and ShadowClan put together. I feel very confident that we can win, if we can keep our minds and claws sharp. StarClan bless us all."

"StarClan bless!" Repeated the group.

"And now," Otterstar mewed, "We shall leave for battle. Sector one, follow Runningstar. Sector two, follow me."

With one last look at Cloverleaf, who was in sector two and had her kits in care of Newtfrost, Runningstar knew he had no regrets.

***

Runningstar led the first and second sector to a small oak tree not far from where the fight would take place. He told the second sector to wait there until he sent Lavenderpaw for them, mewed farewell, and started to lead the first sector into Fourtrees.

Runningstar was never more nervous in his life. He could hear his heartbeats, loud and hard, as if it would burst through his ribs. He sighed. What was he getting the Clans into? Even WindClan and ShadowClan were in danger, all because of his arrogance towards Hurricanestar.

Was the ShadowClan leader really all that evil? Was this all just in his head? Was Hurricanestar really just a noble cat, trying to protect his Clan from danger? Were ThunderClan and RiverClan the evil cats?

_No_, a voice deep in the trenches of Runningstar's mind boomed. _No, you are wrong. This is how it will end for Hurricanestar. _He_ is the evil one. _He_ is the one that tainted the territory of the other three Clans. _He_ and Gorsestar stripped Lionfur of her nine lives._

Even still, Runningstar couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if he had just given in to Hurricanestar when he had first come to ThunderClan to tell them about their nasty rat infestation.

Sector one finally reached the peak of Fourtrees. The scent of ShadowClan and WindClan mixed together hit Runningstar's mouth. It almost made him sick.

He turned to his sector. "Are we ready?" He asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Mewed Chasewind bravely. Runningstar nodded to him for his vigilance and took one last look at the warriors gathered around him, then turned and started for the clearing of Fourtrees.

It seemed to take seasons to reach the bottom of the hollow where Gorsestar and Hurricanestar were sitting on their haunches, their "army" sitting battle-ready behind them.

"Runningstar," Hurricanestar welcomed him. "The cat that thinks he can beat me and my Clan."

"_Clan_?" Hissed Runningstar. "That is not a _Clan_. That is simply the warriors of two different Clans thrown together into a single group. And if you must call it that, I have a Clan with me also."

Hurricanestar sneered. "Who is that with you? A group of kittypets?"

From behind Runningstar, a muscular brown tabby tom stepped out. "I am Kestrelclaw," He murmured. "I am RiverClan's deputy. Otterstar and I decided that we will join with ThunderClan to fight you."

"Fight?" Spat Gorsestar. "You, Kestrelclaw, are nothing but a field tom for RiverClan, with a mind that is made of pigeon down. I'm not surprised that you and that mouse-brain Otterstar came to this. Joining up with ThunderClan?" He shook his head in disgust. "ThunderClan have done nothing but poison your can help you and all of RiverClan. Join our Clan, and we will help you be rid of ThunderClan forever."

Kestrelclaw said nothing. His deep amber eyes seemed tempted for a moment, and Runningstar began to feel raw anxiety sting him. Would the RiverClan deputy give in?

"I have seen nothing but hatred and cruelty from your little 'Clan'," Growled Kestrelclaw. "Why would I want to join a couple of fox hearts like you and Hurricanestar, the one that nearly wiped RiverClan out? Face it, Gorsestar, you'll never win."

The bracken-colored tom narrowed his eyes. "Very well," The WindClan leader spat. "You had a choice to make, and you chose to die."

"I have no idea what you are talking abou-" But the tom was cut off as Gorsestar rushed forward, clutched his teeth around Kestrelclaw's throat, and held down hard.

Kestrelclaw screamed in pain, waving his legs around, struggling for a clawhold on the evil tom holding him. But it was useless. His actions slowly got less and less determined, until he went limp in Gorsestar's clutch.

The cruel tom stepped back, leaving Kestrelclaw's bloody body laying in the mud. "Does anybody else want to challenge us?"

Runningstar looked from Gorsestar to Hurricanestar. The ShadowClan leader had a look of pure disgust on his face as he glared at Gorsestar.

"What were you thinking?" He spat. "You weren't supposed to kill him! You were supposed to hurt him severely! Now he's dead! You mouse-brained fool!"

Gorsestar turned to the dark gray tom. "What are you talking about?" He asked arrogantly. "You told me to kill him, and I did. I was only trying to do what you told me!"

Hurricanestar stepped forward so that his nose was only a mouse tail length away from Gorsestar's. "I told you to let him live, and you didn't listen to me. If you value your life, I would follow my directions more carefully from now on."

"Please, Hurricanestar, I'm sorry! I'll improve, I'll swear!" Gorsestar whimpered as Hurricanestar stepped closer and closer.

"Wimp," Muttered Trailclaw. "He acts all tough around all cats but Hurricanestar."

Gorsestar cringed under Hurricanestar's bitter glare for one moment more. Hurricanestar rushed at the tom and flipped him onto his back, where his belly was pointed up. "I hope you have no regrets," Hurricanestar hissed in Gorsestar's ear.

What he did next shocked and frightened Runningstar beyond belief. Hurricanestar unsheathed his claws and ripped them down Gorsestar's throat. He let out a scream and started convulsing.

Runningstar felt his jaw drop. What was happening to Gorsestar? Was he dying nine times over?

No, he wasn't. With one last shuddering breath, Gorsestar fell over and was still. What had happened to him? Was he dead?

When he didn't get up, Hurricanestar bared his teeth at Runningstar's group. "It's your choice, Runningstar," He growled. "Either surrender to us, or end up like Kestrelclaw or Gorsestar."

Runningstar felt horror strike up and down his spine. He turned around to lick down the fur on his neck and along his spine.  What was he going to say to the brutal cat? He couldn't just turn himself in, and endanger the lives of all the cats behind him.

The silence continued. Runningstar looked to the faces of his group of cats. They all were anxiety stricken, imploring him to never give up.

"What's your decision?" Asked Hurricanestar, leaning in so Runningstar could smell his rancid breath.

Runningstar took in a deep breath, unsheathing his claws slowly, silently. StarClan help me, he prayed quickly. He bared his teeth in a snarl and leaped out for Hurricanestar, ripping his claws down his side.

**Oh noes! Is this the end of Runningstar? Or ThunderClan? Review, and u can have...oh, a Kestrelclaw plushie!!!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Ok, I like, _kno_ that this fanfic isn't going very well, but the next one will be much better, trust me! And i think this chapter was pretty ok. :(**

The battle had begun. Cats began hurling themselves at each other, their claws unsheathed, kicking and howling and biting and clawing.

Runningstar felt his claws meet in Hurricanestar's fur. He wanted to rip him, tear his insides into little bits to feed to the crows.

Hurricanestar screamed as Runningstar leaped onto him. His back legs kicked his opponent, but it had no affect on Runningstar. He was too intent on killing Hurricanestar, making sure that he did no more wrongdoing.

Suddenly, before Runningstar could lay one more claw on him, Hurricanestar slipped out of his grasp as quickly as would a snake. Runningstar gasped in fury, looking around for the tom that had caused all the trouble on his Clan and all the Clans.

Ignoring Gorsestar's dead body, Runningstar shoved through the throngs of fighting cats, too intent on looking for Hurricanestar to notice that there were fighting cats pushing into him.

Suddenly, he caught sight of him, watching as his army of cats fought against their opponents. It was only seconds before a scarred tortoiseshell tom with a bulking frame pounced on Runningstar, shredding at his ears.

Runningstar spat at missing the chance to get his claws on Hurricanestar again, tearing out clumps of the tortoiseshell's fur.

Suddenly, he felt a sudden burst of fury. The light brown tom pinned the tortoiseshell to the ground, baring his gleaming teeth. He took a strike at the cat's throat, digging as hard as he could, feeling warm blood ooze into his mouth.

"Runningstar! No!" Cried another cat. It was Trailclaw, running straight for the two cats. The dark tabby knocked Runningstar off the offender.

"Trailclaw!" Snarled Runningstar. "What're you doing? I almost had that fox-heart killed!"

Trailclaw shook his head. "Runningstar, no… you can't. Hurricanestar is the only one here we kill. We're only trying to ward them off!"

Runningstar felt embarrassment and guilt flood up to his senses. What was he thinking? He wasn't supposed to kill any of the cats! Just scare them away, like Trailclaw had said.

He let go of the cat he had nearly eliminated. The tom stared at him in surprise. "Go! Get going!" Runningstar snarled, giving the tom one more hard bite in the flank. The tom screamed and disappeared from sight.

More cats hurled themselves at him, coming like a flood. Runningstar tried holding them off as hard as he could, clawing and biting and kicking, but it seemed like every cat in Hurricanestar's joined Clan was coming right at him. He didn't feel like he could do it anymore.

Suddenly, a huge black tom with a deep vee in his ear came flying out from nowhere to land squarely on Runningstar's shoulders. He jumped up from the ground, attempting to get the huge tom off of him, but the cat was too heavy. It was useless.

The black tom unsheathed his huge claws, briefly enjoying the glint of the moon off of them, and before Runningstar could lay one claw on him, the tom whacked his claws across Runningstar's throat.

Runningstar groaned. The world around him went blurry. And then, after a few static moments, he let out a gurgle and let the world spin out of control until he could see nothing more.

***

At first, nothing showed up. _Am I dead_? Wondered Runningstar. _Is this StarClan? _

Soon, a dim light shone in the distance, growing and growing until light bathed the clearing. Runningstar realized that he was in Fourtrees, but surprisingly, everything was quiet. There were no fighting cats, no sign of Hurricanestar, nothing except for the stars spinning above him.

Runningstar looked around, alarmed. What was going on? Where was he? This certainly wasn't Fourtrees.

Suddenly, the stars stopped spinning. Runningstar gulped as he saw the stars start to fall all around him. Was this some kind of sign?

The fallen stars started to arrange themselves to make shapes. Cat shapes. Runningstar realized what was happening.

"Am I…did I…lose a life?" He asked the shapes nervously.

"Welcome, Runningstar," One of the shapes mewed. It was Ashstar. "You have been doing astounding in this terrifying battle against Hurricanestar. Yes, you have lost a life. You shouldn't worry about it, as you have seven left."

"Seven?" Asked Runningstar. "You mean I've lost two lives?"

"Yes, indeed," Another cat mewed. Runningstar recognized Cinnamonpaw and felt his heart start to ache. "I believe you picked up one of those rats, did you not?"

Runningstar felt sick. He _had_ picked up one of the rats that carried the sickness. "So…so you're saying that I lost one life to this sickness and I…I didn't even know? How can this be possible?"

Cinnamonpaw looked down at her paws gravely. "This is exactly how Pineclaw died. He had no idea that he had the sickness, but in reality it was rotting him out from the inside. It was a disgusting famine."

Right after Cinnamonpaw was done talking, Runningstar could just slightly make out a small, cat-like shape. At first it was distinctly faint, but the outline of the cat slowly deepened. "What's that?" Asked Runningstar.

Another cat stepped out from the group of starry cats. It was Mossflower this time. "That is your spirit," She mewed daintily. "Every time you lose a life, this picture of you gets brighter and brighter, until your spirit is ready to join StarClan."

Runningstar shuddered in fright. Imminent death wasn't exactly a positive image to him at this moment.

"What am I going to do?" Runningstar mewed. "I'm going to lose all my lives just in this battle. Just to rid the forest of one cat. I don't think we'll be able to do it."

Ashstar stepped up to Runningstar, until her nose was almost touching his. "Runningstar," She murmured, "If there's one thing I learned when I was a leader, it was to never give up. I am just as fearful about this battle as you are, for StarClan can't always predict the future. I, too, do not know whether or not this battle will be won by us.

"But what I do know is this- if you are persistent, you will always win in your Clanmates' eyes."

Runningstar lifted his head. "You…you mean that…"

"She means that it doesn't matter whether or not you win or lose, but if you win or lose like a true leader," Mossflower pointed out gently. "If you lose this battle, you will go down like one of ThunderClan's greatest leaders. If you win, the same will happen. Runningstar, you are very brave and noble. We have confidence in you."

Runningstar closed his eyes and felt wind tug at his fur. He felt a sense of vertigo overcome him, but it quickly went away. When he opened his eyes again, the starry cats were gone, and the sounds of battle rushed back to him.

He slowly opened his indigo eyes. Starfur, Trailclaw, and Cloverleaf were standing over him, worried looks upon their faces.

"Wh-where…" Runningstar mewed.

"Runningstar!" Cried Cloverleaf, rushing up to him and pelting him with licks.

"You're alive," Murmured Starfur. "We thought you…well…"

Runningstar shook his head. "No," He sighed, "I only just…lost a life, that's all."

"Oh StarClan, I hope you're all right," Cloverleaf worried, grooming her mate's unkempt fur.

Runningstar purred at her affection. "Don't worry, I'm fine, I'm fine," He mewed over the howling cats. He frowned. "Has anyone got ahold of Hurricanestar yet?"

"Yes," Starfur mewed, "A few WindClan cats, for Gorsestar. But they were all killed."

Runningstar felt his stomach tighten. He felt like curling up and dying on the spot, so that his spirit could fill in altogether and he'd drift off to StarClan, away from this mess. But there was no way that he could escape this now.

"I must find Hurricanestar," He growled. "Without him, the other cats will disband." He grimly remembered when his father, Crimsonstone, had led his band of rogues into ThunderClan to attack. Runningstar had killed his father, and the followers had gotten terribly frightened and left. Perhaps with Hurricanestar it was just the same.

"You're probably right," Starfur agreed. "But how are you going to get to Hurricanestar? There's so many of his cats protecting him."

Runningstar let out a low growl. "We're going to have to team up," Runningstar mewed. "Only a group of us can actually get to him."

"But just us?" Trailclaw asked uneasily. "We'd all get killed!"

"The RiverClan cats aren't here for nothing," Runningstar pointed out. "If you get a couple of RiverClan cats, we could easily make it over there."

"It's a mouse-brained scheme to get us all killed," Growled Trailclaw, "But it just might work. Starfur and I'll go find some RiverClan cats."

"This isn't strategic work here," Runningstar growled. "Just get seemingly strong warriors to run with us. Cloverleaf and I can hold off any attackers while we wait-"

Suddenly, a loud, blood-curdling scream filled the air and rang through the clearing. All was silent. The cats stopped fighting and turned to look for where the yowl came from.

It was Hurricanestar, of course, but right in front of him in a defensive stance was Mudpelt. The dark brown tom had a nasty snarl on his face, revealing the sharpest of teeth.

"How loyal are you?" Spat Hurricanestar. "I'm starting to think that you've turned over to the other side."

Mudpelt's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? I've been fighting like a good warrior! You should _reward_ me!"

Hurricanestar shrugged. "Fine then. A test of loyalty now and then doesn't hurt. Bring them forward," He snarled to some cat behind him.

Two burly cats came lumbering forward, flanking three downtrodden, muddied cats. Runningstar's eyes widened. It was Deerstripe, with her two kits, Jackalkit and Thornkit!

Mudpelt looked horrified. "Wh-what are they doing here?" He asked coolly.

Hurricanestar shrugged. "I wanted to see how well you would follow my orders. You don't seem to be following them lately. So now, Mudpelt, I have an order for you." The dark gray tom smirked.

For the first time ever, Mudpelt was genuinely frightened. His deep amber eyes glimmered with horror, his claws dug into the ground, and his ears flattened to his head. "No," He whispered. "You wouldn't…I wouldn't…"

"There's two choices," Hurricanestar told Mudpelt. "Kill them, or be killed yourself."

"You can't kill me! I've done so much for you!" Mudpelt stammered. "T-trust me!"

"Not until I see all three of those cats drop to the ground dead," Snarled Hurricanestar.

Runningstar felt his heart bang against his ribcage. Would Mudpelt do it? Was he really that bloodthirsty?

Mudpelt raised his head, his amber eyes gleaming with defiance. "No," He hissed boldly.

"Is that your final answer?" Asked Hurricanestar.

Mudpelt nodded lightly. "Yes," He growled.

Hurricanestar shrugged. "What a shame," He mewed. "I really thought you were a good cat for this Clan, Mudpelt."

"You can't kill me," Mudpelt hissed. "You can't try! You don't even have the sense of a-"

His statement was cut off as Hurricanestar came rushing forward, his huge claws scoring down Mudpelt's throat. The dark brown tom let out a feeble gurgle before he fell to the ground, dead.

Runningstar was horrified to the core. He never knew he'd see Mudpelt's indignant amber eyes just glaze over…just like that. And Hurricanestar…he had killed Mudpelt in one strike of the claws. He felt a combination of fear and hate tremble down his spine. And he started stepping forward while the fighting cats had their attention tuned to Mudpelt's dead body.

"Runningstar," Whispered Cloverleaf. "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

He didn't reply as he slowly padded forward, his paws almost involuntarily taking him towards Hurricanestar's smirking frame. Runningstar himself thought he was crazy, but this was it. This was the only time he had to put an end to this outrageous evil that was putting fear in even the biggest, strongest warriors in the forest.

Hurricanestar noticed the tom coming towards him and started to laugh in a low tone. "What do we have here?" He mewed. "ThunderClan's _brave_ leader Runningstar coming to the rescue."

"Let them go," Growled Runningstar.

"Or what?" Hurricanestar scoffed. "You'll trod on my tail? This isn't a little game, Runningstar, where I let you become a hero."

Runningstar snarled, showing his teeth threateningly. "Or I'll kill you," He hissed through his teeth.

Hurricanestar snorted, and soon his snort turned into hysterical laughs. "Are- are you kidding?" He guffawed. "You can't shred a piece of moss, Runningstar, and you think you can kill me! I ought to come at you right now and see how much of a _hero_ you really-"

But he was cut off as Runningstar came streaking across the clearing, focusing on one point only: Hurricanestar's throat. The treacherous cat had no time to run away as Runningstar landed straight on his back, digging in his claws and flipping him onto his belly.

Hurricanestar let out a hacking sound as Runningstar tore at his belly with his claws. The light brown tom slipped out from under Hurricanestar and quickly landed on his belly, digging in his claws and raising a forepaw to strike.

"You really think you can kill me?" Gurgled Hurricanestar sinisterly. "You really think you can put an end to all of this with just one claw strike? Runningstar, you are the most foolish cat to walk the forest."

Runningstar snarled down at Hurricanestar. "I _can_ kill you," He hissed. "I _can_ put an end to everything you've done. Would you like to know why?"

"Why is that?" Rasped the dark gray tom.

"I have the honor of StarClan on my side," Runningstar mewed. And with that, he struck at Hurricanestar, ripping at his neck. Blood flowed freely out of the evil tom's new wound.

Hurricanestar let out a scream, louder than Runningstar could ever have imagined. He wanted to bury himself in Cloverleaf's fur to drown out the terrifying, hair-raising howl.

And then, sooner than any cat had ever thought, the leader went still, his head hitting the ground with a loud _thud_. 

**It's all over! Hurricanestar is down! What did you think of this chapter? Review and get a Mudpelt plushie! This time it'll be a plushie and not a chewtoy! Cause poor muddie!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Here you go, just decided to finish it up. :) tell me if my writing was ok!**

Runningstar looked up from Hurricanestar's body. All the cats gathered there were staring at him, frozen to the spot, stunned. Runningstar himself was stunned. He had done it. He had killed Hurricanestar. Nobody else would be hurt by his sinister power. Nobody else would die of his disgusting sickness, and nobody else would be stripped of their nine lives because of him. He was gone, just like that.

Before Runningstar could even gain a hold on the situation, the cats in the hollow cheered for him, a raising ovation that overpowered his senses like the smell of fresh-kill. Cloverleaf rushed up to him, a wide smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

"Runningstar!" She purred, happiest she had ever been. "Runningstar, you did it! You defeated Hurricanestar! He's _gone_!"

"I…I did," Runningstar mewed in amazement. "I defeated Hurricanestar. He's dead…"

Just when Runningstar felt like collapsing with fatigue, he saw all of his sector racing towards him, wide grins on their faces. Otterstar with the second sector followed, all rushing for him.

"We saw everything!" Exclaimed Otterstar. "It was so amazing how you took him down like that and saved that queen and her kits."

Runningstar flushed. "I…I just knew that it was the perfect moment to strike and…you know…stroke."

Cloverleaf purred. "Runningstar…" She murmured, burying her nose in his fur.

"I don't believe it," Mewed Starfur in amazement. "How did you kill Hurricanestar in one blow? Didn't he have his nine lives?"

Although he didn't feel like it, Runningstar started to explain. "StarClan never gives nine lives to a cat that evil," He replied. "I figured it out and decided to use it against him."

"Now that," Trailclaw mewed, "Is an example of a great leader!" He gave Runningstar a friendly lick on the ear.

"Thank you, all of you, but…" Runningstar hesitated. "I don't think I could've done it without any of you. You all gave me the strength I needed to even consider going up to Hurricanestar and attacking him like that. You all have been very brave and noble…the apprentices are worthy of warrior names, and the warriors are all worthy of higher status…" His voice trailed off.

"Shall we leave now?" Asked Cloverleaf.

Runningstar nodded, feeling a little dizzy, and trailed after his mate as they ran out of the clearing.

"Wait a second," Called a voice. Runningstar turned around.

Standing there was a small white she-cat, hardly thirteen moons. She cleared her throat and mewed, "I am Winterfrost, the WindClan deputy."

"Nice to meet you, Winterfrost," Runningstar mewed. Suddenly, he saw a familiar golden pelt in the corner of his eye and an idea popped into his head.

Winterfrost went on. "I'm terribly sorry about the trouble that WindClan has been causing. We shall take full responsibility of Gorsestar's behavior. Although it was sort of a good thing when Gorsestar died, keep in mind that he was a very good warrior, who had ambition cloud his judgement and make him follow Hurricanestar. WindClan asks for your forgiveness."

"And same with ShadowClan," Someone piped up. Runningstar looked around among the ShadowClan crowd for the cat who had spoken.

"Hello, Runningstar," Mewed a deep-voiced black tom. "I am Ravenfoot, the ShadowClan deputy. Well, that is, before Hurricanestar made Mudpelt his deputy." He hung his head in shame. "We are very sorry for the trouble our Clan has caused. Hurricanestar was a terrible threat not only to all of you, but to us as well. We thank you for putting an end to his evil reign and ask you to forgive us as well as WindClan."

Runningstar dipped his head. "ThunderClan forgives you, WindClan and ShadowClan. It is not the fault of the Clan for having a bloodthirsty leader."

"I agree," Otterstar spoke, dipping her head as well. "Hurricanestar was probably one of the worst things to happen in this forest, and that is not the fault of the Clan he leads."

"Before we leave," Runningstar spoke up. The other cats looked at him in question. He cleared his throat nervously. "Winterfrost, we have someone to show you."

Winterfrost pricked her ears, her pretty green eyes glittering with curiosity. "Who is this that ThunderClan wants me to see?"

Runningstar stepped back and nudged Lionfur forward. WindClan gasped at the sight of the golden she-cat.

"L-Lionstar?" Stammered Winterfrost. "But I thought you were dead!"

Lionfur lowered her head. "It is no longer Lionstar," She mewed in shame. "It is Lionfur. Hurricanestar and Gorsestar kidnapped me and somehow stripped me of my nine lives. I am now called Lionfur, for my leader's name is gone."

"Wait just a second," Winterfrost mewed. "No cat but the cats of StarClan have the power to take the nine lives away from their leader. Lionfur, your name is now Lionstar, and you are allowed back in WindClan as the leader."

"Well- I- Thank you," Mewed Lionstar simply. She let out a small purr and started for her Clan. She turned her head around and briefly mewed, "Thank you, Runningstar, for taking me in when I was hurt. It was a very wonderful thing to do."

Runningstar felt happiness swell up inside of him. "I'm glad to see you back in your own Clan, Lion_star_."

The four Clans started to disband. As WindClan and ShadowClan went their separate ways, Runningstar padded down to where Deerstripe was laying down beside her mate, tears welling in her eyes. Her kits were sitting beside her, staring at their father with eyes as wide as full moons.

"Deerstripe," Meowed Runningstar. The tabby she-cat looked up. "I've decided that we shall bury Mudpelt in ThunderClan territory where he belongs. Although he didn't live like a good warrior, he sure died like one, and he deserves it."

Deerstripe smiled up at him. "Thank you," She purred weakly. "May I actually bury him here, at Fourtrees? He always loved coming here each full moon."

_Yeah, to fraternize with evil killers,_ Runningstar thought spitefully. But he was willing to go along with what Deerstripe wanted. "Of course," He mewed. "We shall sit vigil with him for a while before burying him." He turned around to gather the others to come to the burial.

As he came up to where his Clan was standing and talking to their friends, he noticed someone he was always glad to see- Skycloud. He was being held up by Weavepaw, but the look on his face was irreplaceable.

"Skycloud!" He exclaimed, rushing for his friend. Skycloud purred as the two collided, licking each other on the shoulder like they would every sunhigh while sharing tongues. Runningstar let out a content sigh.

"You defeated Hurricanestar?" Skycloud mewed in amazement. When his friend nodded, he let out a small yowl of alarm. "That's…amazing. Unbelievable! You saved the forest, Runningstar."

Runningstar let out a small purr. "Well, that's what they all say," He mewed. "Um, I know this is sort of a rhetorical question, but would you like to go to Mudpelt's burial?"

Weavepaw widened her eyes. "Mudpelt is dead? Who killed him?"

"Hurricanestar," Was all Runningstar said. Weavepaw understood completely.

Skycloud grimaced, but soon it faded away and he mewed, "I guess poor Mudpelt deserves it. I'll come."

Runningstar grinned at his friend. "Thank you," He mewed. "How are your wounds?"

"They actually aren't bad," Weavepaw answered before Skycloud could. "He should recover in about a moon or so. Or perhaps a moon and a half."

Skycloud nodded in agreement. "Yup," He croaked. "She's right. She _is_ the medicine cat." His kind remark made Weavepaw blush.

Runningstar flicked his tail in farewell and padded to where the rest of his Clanmates stood, conversing among themselves.

"Would anybody like to go to Mudpelt's burial ceremony?" He asked. Of course, nobody answered. They stared at him as if he were crazy. "He died like a warrior," Runningstar pointed out. "I think that he deserves it."

The other cats quietly mumbled in agreement, although some of them still looked uneasy.

Runningstar gestured for them to follow and headed to where Deerstripe lay beside her mate's battered body.

"Where do you want him buried?" Asked Runningstar.

"Right over there," Deerstripe mewed, pointing to a spot not too far from the Tallrock. "That's where he always sat."

Runningstar carefully took Mudpelt's scruff in his teeth and dragged him over to where Deerstripe suggested. "Starfur, Chasewind, would either of you like to help me dig a quick hole?" He asked.

Chasewind looked almost skeptical, but nodded. He and Starfur came forward to help, as well as Deerstripe, who looked like she would burst into tears any moment now.

As they dug, Runningstar realized that life is very precious and shouldn't be wasted on trivial matters. He decided that Mudpelt was the perfect example of this, and it had taught him a lesson about how to lead.

They had finally dug deep enough for which a cat body could fit. Deerstripe clutched Mudpelt's body in her teeth, taking in his scent for the last time before he was thrown into his grave. She gently laid him in the hole, tears running down her face.

"He was a good warrior," Runningstar stated, "But ambition led him away from the right path- the path of good. He certainly was a good father, and a great fighter."

Even a few RiverClan cats had gathered around the grave of Mudpelt to mourn. Runningstar felt a twinge of guilt for those around him, the ones that were showing genuine sadness.

"Deerstripe, would you like to say anything?" He asked the queen.

She took a deep breath and gulped. "He- he was a good father…and an awesome hunter and fighter. I wish that he hadn't switched over to the side of evil. Perhaps we could have raised more kits…than this…" She burst into tears, sobs convulsing her body, and she lay on her mate's grave in defeat. "I wish he didn't go this way…" She murmured.

"Anybody else want to say anything?" Runningstar mewed, casting a sympathetic glance at the sobbing she-cat. Nobody else spoke up.

Runningstar lay down beside Deerstripe, gave her a swift lick on the ears, and walked away with the rest of his group. The rain started to fall as if StarClan was crying too, not only for Mudpelt, but for Deerstripe also.

**Aw, such an emotional moment! -grabs a tissue- anyway, how'd u like it? is it at least a little better? Tell me! There's still one more chapter, so it's not over yet! **

**Reviewers: moooaaaan...don't make us read it!!!!! PLEASE!!!!**

**Me: oh come on, just one more very tiny chapter! **

**Reviewers: u suck, dude!**


	26. Epilogue

**The epilogue is very brief! I wanted to wrap things up a little! Tell me if this chapter ttly sucked or not. :/**

Runningstar and the rest of ThunderClan plodded on through the mud, the brittle ferns starting to turn soft again. The queens carried their kits high above the ground to keep them out of the mud, and the rain pattered on their heads in protest.

Although the weather was pitiful, Runningstar knew that it would be a bright day for ThunderClan today. After the burial of Mudpelt, the rest of the Clan, along with Deerstripe and her kits, had gathered at the crest of the slope. They had separated from RiverClan, and now both Clans lived their former lives, with little involvement from other Clans.

The ThunderClan cats had checked back at Sunningrocks to gather the rest of the cats. They all were happy to hear the good news, and the even better news: that ThunderClan could return back to their former camp.

There was one cat that wasn't traveling back to the camp with her Clan: Weavepaw. She was headed straight for the Moonstone with the medicine cats of the other three Clans to get her name and medicine cat status. The other medicine cats really liked her gentleness and kindness and constantly told her they were marks of a good medicine cat.

All the apprentices that were in the battle are in for a big surprise when they get back to camp, for they are going to be the first ones that Runningstar names as warriors on the Highrock back at the old camp.

Runningstar is also going to name a few apprentices- there are a few kits that are just about old enough: Summerheart's and Newtfrost's. They should be very delighted.

Runningstar has never been happier before in his life. Now that everything is peaceful between the Clans, the four Clans of the forest can now live their life. No dawn was ever brighter for Runningstar than the one on that day.

**The End**

**So how did u like how it ended? I hope it was ok! Book 5 is coming very soon, so read on! and it'll be way better, fellas!**


	27. Sneak Peek

_**Keep watch for the next book of the Shadows series: Book Five, The Coming of Flight and Feather! The next generation of Runningstar lives on!**_

***

Soarpaw snapped awake, her sides heaving. She found herself in the same den she usually slept in, the apprentices den. Right across from her lay Wrenpaw, her sister, Jackalpaw and Sandpaw, Deerstripe's two daughters, and Sunpaw, Summerheart's only daughter. Moonlight shone through the branches of the den, dappling the apprentices' coats silver.

The ginger and white she-cat tried to remember the dream vividly. A mysterious sorrel she-cat had appeared to her, giving her the prophecy. _Flight and feather must set out in search of the one who glows_. She shivered as she remembered the scary dream.

Perhaps she had maggot gut or something. Yeah, that's what had given her the horrible dream. Reminding herself to go and see Weavetail about it, Soarpaw crept out of the den. Perhaps Rainpelt had her kits overnight!

Carefully, so no cat would hear her, the ginger and white she-cat prowled across the clearing towards the nursery. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her.

"Shouldn't you be asleep, youngster?" Asked a voice.

Soarpaw squealed and turned around to see the deputy and her mentor, Starfur, towering over her, a bitter glare on his face.

"Well, I just wanted to see if Rainpelt's kits were here yet, that's all…" She mewed, her voice trailing off as she scanned the clearing. "Where's Thornpaw?" She asked curiously. Thornpaw was Deerstripe's son, the son of Mudpelt.

"Why does it concern you?" Asked Starfur, an amused gleam in his eyes.

"Just wondering," Mewed Soarpaw defensively. She didn't want anyone to think that she _liked_ Thornpaw or anything. But it was interesting that he had sneaked out of camp.

"You can check on Rainpelt if you like," Starfur growled, "But go back to sleep after. You'll need it for tomorrow's fighting practice."

An excited gleam came into Soarpaw's eyes, and she raced across the clearing, trying to be as quiet as possible.

She stuck her head inside the nursery to find, to her delight, Rainpelt sitting there, bundled among four beautiful kits. Trailclaw, her mate, was at her side, fast asleep.

"Wow," Gasped Soarpaw in wonder. "They're so nice!"

Rainpelt let out a small purr. "Greetings, Soarpaw. Aren't they, though? You should have seen Trailclaw's face when he first came in here." She gave Soarpaw a thoughtful look. "You're out late, aren't you?" She asked.

Soarpaw sighed. "I know, but I knew you'd have your kits tonight, and I couldn't wait for morning! Besides, Thornpaw is missing."

"Thornpaw?" Asked Rainpelt, wrinkling her nose. Her dark green eyes were laden with worry. Apparently she felt some distaste for the dark brown apprentice. "Why would he be out in the middle of the night?"

"My guess is he's over by the stream, taking a drink or something," Soarpaw mewed. "Nothing to worry about, right?"

A clouded look came over Rainpelt's face, and Soarpaw knew that she was thinking different.

***

**So, how does it look? I hope you like it, it'll be really good! Do you like the warrior names I gave the apprentices? Hm? Hm? Do ya? Do ya? Hm? And Rainpelt had Trailclaw's kits! Aw!!! To think that Trailclaw was just an apprentice once... Thanks for reviewing! Hoped you liked book four, and book five is coming soon!**


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